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COMRIGHT DEPOSm 



THE FLOODS OF JULY, 1916 

HOW THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY 

ORGANIZATION MET AN 

EMERGENCY 



The Southern may be possessed by seventy times the seven devils 
that a certain type of politician is fond of attributing to it, but it is 
A railroad — capital A, number One. * * * 
The Southern is big, has always been big. * * * But this 
matter of size has seldom been demonstrated more strikingly than 
when this gigantic problem of the flood suddenly confronted it, and 
the Southern rose with a giant's strength to wrestle with and speedily 
to overcome the menace. It is a big system, run by big men, in a 
big way; and with all its faults we wouldn't swap it for anything 

in this neck of the woods — (Greensboro (N. C.) New,, August 11, 1916) 



SOUTHERN RAILWAY COMPANY 

Office of the President 
1917 



F~ZI5 



Copyright 
1917 
Southern Railway Company 



m&R 12 1917 

©CI.A462735 



TO THE 

"Man on the Job" 

This Book is 

Dedicated 

By One Who Admires Him 



CONTENTS 



Page 

Introduction 5 

Map of Southern Railway Facing page 7 

United States Weather Bureau's Record of the Floods 7 

The Storms in Southern Railway Territory 15 

The Gulf Coast Storm 17 

The Storm in the Carolinas 25 

Asheville and Biltmore 29 

Asheville-Salisbury Line 41 

Asheville-Morristown Line 73 

Asheville-Spartanburg Line 79 

North Wilkesboro Branch 85 

Catawba River Bridge near Belmont, N. C 93 

Catawba River Bridge near Fort Mill, S. C 97 

Charleston Division 101 

Spartanburg Division 104 

Hendersonville-Lake Toxaway Line 104 

Coster Division 105 

Telegraph Service 105 

Equipment and Materials 107 

How the Southern People and Other Railroads Helped no 

Keeping the Wheels Moving no 

The Men Who Took the Lead 112 

The Appreciation of the Public — Editorial Comment 117 

President Harrison's Executive Order No. 76 130 

In Memoriam 1 x 1 



INTRODUCTION 



"Doubtless it will be pleasant to remember these perils hereafter," wrote a 
Roman poet nearly two thousand years ago. We of the Southern Railway or- 
ganization can echo the sentiment today, for perils and adventure experienced in 
company have ever been strong bonds to bind together a group of men in action. 

In July last we were called upon to show in a sudden emergency what we could 
do as individuals and even more as an organization. It was my official privilege 
to express at the time a word of appreciation upon a great achievement, but in 
order that there may be a more permanent record of what was done and of those 
who did it, we have collected the facts in the following pages. The editor is Mr. 
J. C. Williams, Assistant to the President, and I am sure that all whose deeds 
are recorded, as well as others who may be interested, will join me in congrat- 
ulating him on the result of his work. 

Fairfax Harrison. 
Office of the President, 
Washington, D. C, 
January, 1917. 




MAP OF THE 

SOUTHERN RAILWAY 

SHOWING 

LINES AFFECTED BY FLOODS 



*1" Bridge across 



Heavy red lines show railroad put out of operation by floods of July and August, 1916. 
Catawba River near Eufola, N. C; "2" Bridge across Catawba Kiver near Belmont, N. C; "3" Bridge across Catawba 
"4" Bridge across Catawha T?i™- nM r r.atawba Junction, »• C. ; "5" Bridere across Catawba River near Greenlee, 



Bridge across Catawba 



River near Fort, Mill, S. C. ; 
N. C. 



THE FLOODS OF JULY, 1916 



The lines of Southern Railway Company suffered unprecedented damage from 
floods during the months of July and August, iqi.6. 

On July 5th and 6th a tropical cyclone swept over the Gulf Coast of Alabama, 
accompanied by high winds, reaching a maximum of 107 miles per hour at Mobile 
on the fifth, and followed by torrential rains over a large part of the State, with 
somewhat lighter rains in eastern Tennessee and the Carolinas, greatly damaging 
Southern Railway waterfront property at Mobile and interrupting traffic on the 
Company's lines in Alabama south and west of Birmingham, by washing out trestles 
and fills. 

A second tropical cyclone passed over Charleston, S. C, during the morning of 
July 14th, causing some local damage, and, moving northwestward, expended its full 
force on the watersheds in western North Carolina where the rain from the first 
storm had already saturated the soil and filled the streams bank- full. All previous 
24-hour records of rainfall in the United States were exceeded. The run-off from the 
saturated soil was very rapid, streams rose high above all previous flood records; 
resulting in the death of about eighty persons and in property damage estimated by 
the United States Weather Bureau at about twenty-two million dollars. 

The greatest single loss of property was that of Southern Railway Company, as, 
without taking into account the loss of traffic and the cost of detouring trains, the 
total loss to the Company on account of storm damage during the month of July is 
estimated at approximately $1,250,000. 

THE UNITED STATES WEATHER BUREAU'S RECORD OF THE FLOODS. 

An account of the floods, written by Professor Alfred J. Henry, of the 
United States Weather Bureau, says, in part: 

"The immediate cause of the destructive floods in the East Gulf and South 
Atlantic States was the movement over those States of two tropical cyclones. 

"The first of these storms passed inland over the Mississippi coast during the 
night of July 5-6, 19 16, and moved slowly a little west of north to about the thirty- 
second parallel of north latitude, thence it followed a somewhat sinuous course a 



little east of north for several days. Finally by the morning of July nth, it had 
become a disturbance of such feeble intensity that its future course could not be 
followed. * * * As this storm drifted over northern Alabama and eastern Ten- 
nessee its sphere of influence extended across the Appalachians into the Carolinas, 
the mountain districts of which received heavy rains. 

"Almost immediately a second tropical cyclone moved in from the Atlantic, 
passing over the coast of South Carolina on the morning of July 14th, 1916. Dur- 
ing that day torrential rains fell on the lowlands a short distance northeast of 
Charleston, attended by high winds. By the morning of the 15th the center of 
the storm had reached western North Carolina. Beginning in the afternoon of that 
dav, and continuing for 24 hours, unprecedented rains fell over the eastern slope of 
the Blue Ridge and also in the valley of the French Broad as it flows northward 
between the several parallel ranges of the Blue Ridge. The run-off from these 
rains by reason of the saturated condition of the soil must have been 80 or 90 per 
cent of the precipitation. Naturally, floods hitherto unprecedented occurred in both 
the Tennessee and Atlantic drainag-e. * * * " 

After giving a detailed account of the Gulf Coast storm and the rainfall attend- 
ing it from July 5th to 9th, inclusive, Professor Henry's account continues: 

"With the gradual filling up of the cyclone 'that was the original cause of the 
rains, the amounts which fell on the 10th were not sufficient in themselves to cause 
floods, but they served to saturate the soil and to keep the streams at moderately 
high stages and thus to prepare the way for serious floods as soon as the downpour 
of the second storm was precipitated upon them. This storm, like its predecessor, 
was presumably of tropical origin, although but little information as to the position 
of its origin is available. It passed inland close to Charleston, S. C, on the morn- 
ing of July 14th, 1916, moved thence slowly northwestward and dissipated over the 
mountains of western North Carolina on the 16th. 

"The rainfall of this storm also was irregularly distributed about the storm cen- 
ter. On the 14th heavy rains fell northwest of Charleston in Berkeley, Georgetown 
and Dillon Counties. The fall in Dillon County was not so heavy as in Berkeley 
County. On the succeeding day, July 15th, when the storm center was over the 
mountainous region of western North Carolina, heavy rains continued over the low- 
lying regions of the northeastern part of South Carolina, especially in the line of 
counties along the right bank of the Great Pee Dee River — viz., from north to south, 
Chesterfield, Darlington, Florence, "and Williamsburg. On this same date, 14th, 
heavy rains, 8 to 10 inches, were also recorded in western North Carolina at five 
stations. The climax in the intensity of the rains was not reached until two davs 
later, on July 16th, at a time when the cyclonic disturbance was not noticeable on 
the daily maps of the Weather Bureau. 

"Beginning during the afternoon of the 15th and continuing for 24 hours, the 
rains in the mountain districts of North Carolina were extraordinarily heavv. At a 
special orchard station maintained at Altapass, in the southeastern corner of Mitchell 
County, N. C. (altitude 2,625 f eet above mean sea level), an actual measurement of 
19.32 inches of rain in 24 hours was recorded in an 8-inch standard raingage. The 



measurement was made at 6 p.m., July 16th, 19 16. According to the observer, Mr. 
J. S. Bowen, between 2 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, 16th, the rainfall here 
amounted to 19.32 inches as measured on the 16th, and about 2.90 inches of the rain- 
fall measured on the afternoon of the 15th fell after 2 p.m., of that day, hence the 
24-hour rainfall, 2 p.m. 15th until 2 p.m. the 16th, was about 22.22 inches. * * * 

"The rainfall at Altapass Inn, about one mile from the orchard station and on 
the west side of the gap at about the same elevation, was also measured, the amount 
being 1.52 inches less than on the east side of the gap. Twenty miles to the west- 
ward, as at Cane River, Yancey County (elevation unknown), the 48-hour fall 
diminished to 3.32 inches, as compared wi h 23.22 inches at Altapass. Total 24-hour 
falls of more than 10 inches were recorded in the extreme western portion of Cald- 
well County on the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge, about 15 miles distant from 
Altapass. Torrential rains also fell in Avery County, immediately west of Cald- 
well County, and a second area of torrential rains is noted in western North Caro- 
lina: in the watershed of the French Broad at the stations of Blantyre, Brevard, 
and Hendersonville in Transylvania and Henderson counties, also in Macon 
County, in the extreme southwestern part of the State, where 9.92 inches were 
recorded at Highlands. It therefore appears that there were two distinct regions 
of torrential rains in western North Carolina on the 15th and 16th — one in Mitchell, 
Avery, and Caldwell counties, about 50 miles northeast of Asheville, the other about 
20 miles due south of Asheville in Henderson and Transylvania counties. 

"The precipitation after the 16th was insignificant. 

FLOODS IN THE RIVERS OF SOUTH CAROLINA. 

"The rains that attended the first storm did not begin over South Carolina 
until the 8th, and were not specially heavy, except over the mountain headwaters 
in North Carolina. The effect of these rains, however, was to saturate the soil and 
cause freshet stages on all the streams. These freshets had begun to decline when 
the second storm with its attendant rainfall overspread the State. The heavy rains 
of the second storm began over the watersheds of the Black, Lynches, and Great 
Pee Dee Rivers in the lowlands of the State and at a time when these rivers were 
comparatively low. Fortunately, the rains of the first, or Alabama storm, were not 
heavy over the lowlands of the Carolinas. * * * 

"As the second storm moved inland over South Carolina on the 15th, heavy 
rains fell, beginning on the afternoon of that date and continuing for about 24 
hours. It was to these rains that the disastrous floods in the upper tributaries of 
the Santee were due. On the 16th the Catawba at Mount Holly, N. C, had reached 
a stage of 3.5 feet above the previous highest record. On the 17th the flood crested 
at a stage of 45.5 feet (estimated, the gage having been washed away). That stage 
is 22.5 feet above the previous high- water mark. 

"The Catawba rises in North Carolina in the counties of Caldwell, Burke, Mc- 
Dowell, and Avery, directly east of the Blue Ridge, and at an elevation of about 
2,500 feet. It flows thence southeasterly as the Catawba in North Carolina and as 



the Wateree in South Carolina, forming with the Congaree the Santee. The gradient 
of the upper part of the Catawba is steep, its profile showing a fall of about 2,325 
feet in the 200 miles between headwaters and Camden, S. C. At the last-named 
point the zero of the gage is 175 feet above mean sea level. At the junction of the 
Wateree and the Congaree the water surface is probably not more than 100 feet 
above mean sea level. The steep gradient above 'the fall line' is a characteristic of 
all rivers of South Carolina, except the Little Pee Dee, Waccamaw, Lynches, Com- 
bahee, Edisto, and Black, which rise wholly within the Coastal Plain and flow 
directly into the Atlantic. The flood on the Catawba in North Carolina is perhaps 
the most severe of which there is record. At Mount Holly, N. C, the uppermost 
gaging station on the river, the crest was 22.5 feet above the previous high-water 
mark, viz., that of the 1908 flood. The excess of the next down-river station, 
Catawba, S. C, just inside the South Carolina border, was but 12 feet, and still far- 
ther down and about 200 miles from the headwaters an excess of but 3 feet above 
the 1908 crest was noted. The force of the current greatly abraded the banks of 
the stream, the width of which at moderate stages is now 50 feet greater than for- 
merly, as determined by a recent inspection of three points, viz., Mount Holly, N. C, 
and Catawba and Camden, S. C. The lateral corrosion of the channel thus observed 
must have been due to the great increase both in the velocity of the stream and the 
load which it carried. It would be interesting to know in this connection to what 
extent vertical corrasion was effective in deepening the channel at the time the banks 
were so greatly abraded. ; 

"It is a notable fact that in no other part of the United States are the forces 
of landscape sculpturing so active and effective as in the South Atlantic States,- 
mainly because those regions more than others are subject to heavy precipitation and 
consequently frequent floods. Nowhere in the United States, so far as known to 
the writer, are the streams subject to such frequent and marked changes in volume 
and in the degree to which they are loaded as in those which have their source in 
the southern Appalachians. 

"The Broad River at Blairs, S. C, exceeded the previous high-water mark by 
5.4 feet. The Santee at Rimini, S. C, exceeded the previous high-water mark by 
2.2 feet; at Ferguson by 1 foot. The Black at Kingstree, S. C, exceeded the previ- 
ous high-water mark by 1 foot. 

"The three main tributaries of the Santee which rise in the southern Appa- 
lachians are the Saluda, the Broad, and the Wateree, naming them in order from 
west to east. That one farthest west, the Saluda, was not in extraordinary flood 
since its watershed was a little outside the region of heavy rains. 

"The rivers of South Carolina in their course to the sea pass through great 
swamps in the Coastal Plain. In times of flood vast quantities of water are 
impounded in these swamps. This explains in a way the flattening out of the flood 
crest as it passes to the lower reaches of the streams. It will be noted that at Fer- 
guson, the lowermost station on the Santee, the excess of the 19 16 flood over 
previous floods was only one foot, notwithstanding the great volume of the flood 
flow in the upper tributaries. 



10 



'There was a freshet in the Great Pee Dee, the farthest east of the larger riv- 
ers of South Carolina, on July 6th, and again on the 12th. The stage at Cheraw, 
S. C, on the 15th, was about 9 feet below flood. From this point it rose to 6 feet 
above flood on the morning of the 16th, and crested at 36.1, or 9.1 feet above flood 
stage, on the 19th. 



FLOODS IN THE RIVERS OF NORTH CAROLINA. 

"The floods in the rivers of North Carolina which drain into the Atlantic were 
not severe except in the upper reaches of the Great Pee Dee (Yadkin). 

"West of the Blue Ridge all the streams flowing into the Tennessee were in 
severe flood, probably the most disastrous so far as loss of life and property is con- 
cerned being in the French Broad. Gagings in that river are made at Asheville, 
N. C. On the morning of the 9th, the river had reached a stage of 4.8 feet (flood 
stage, 4 feet), and by the morning of the nth it had risen to a stage of 8.8 feet; 
it then declined until the morning of the 15th, when it stood at exactly 4 feet, or 
flood stage. The tremendous rains on the 15th and 16th in the watershed of the 
river caused it to rise with great rapidity. At 8 a.m., on the 1 6th, it stood at 13.5 
feet, 9.5 feet above flood; by 9 a.m. of the same day, it had risen to 18.6 feet; and 
at 10 a.m. the bridge on which the gage was located was washed away. The crest 
of the flood was about 21 feet ; the exact figures will be determined later. The width 
of the French Broad at Asheville at bank-full stage (4.4 feet) is 381 feet. At the 
time of the flood the width of the stream was said to have been a quarter of a mile. 
All industrial plants along the river were badly flooded, in some cases the water 
reaching the second stories of the buildings. The flood waters from the upper trib- 
utaries of the Tennessee made but a brief flood in the trunk stream at Knoxville about 
149 miles below Asheville, where a crest stage of 30.2 feet, 18 feet above flood, was 
reached at noon of the 18th. At Chattanooga, about 180 miles below Knoxville, the 
crest was reached two days later, viz., on the 20th, with a gage reading of 30.2 
feet, 2.8 feet below flood. Flood stages on the Tennessee below Chattanooga had 
been reached earlier in the month, but the flow from the upper tributaries due to 
the torrential rains of the 15th and 16th did not cause a flood stage in the main river 
below Knoxville, and at the latter place for a little less than three days only. * * * 



LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY. 

"The precise number of persons who lost their lives in the floods will doubt- 
less never be known, although the best information at hand places the loss of life 
at about 80, the great majority of whom were drowned in the streams of western 
North Carolina. Nineteen persons went down with the Southern Railway bridge 
at Belmont, N. C, on July 16th, and the majority of these were lost. There was also 
some loss of life along the Gulf Coast during the prevalence of hurricane winds, 



11 



but these have not been included in the above number. The property loss, as closely 
as can be figured, was near $22,000,000, distributed as follows : 

Tangible property, buildings, roads, bridges, culverts, etc. $4,917,574 

Crops not gathered 1 1,606,128 

Live stock and movable farm property 811,513 

Suspension of business, loss of wages, etc 1,938,870 

Railroads, in road-bed, bridges, trestles, culverts, etc. . . . *2,45o,ooo 

Total $21 ,724,085 

incomplete reports. 

"Thus it is seen that by far the greater loss falls upon the agriculture of the 
region. The figures are probably incomplete and at best should be considered as 
rough approximations to the truth. 

"The loss of crops was due in some cases to hurricane winds which swept over 
southeastern Mississippi and southern Alabama, attended by heavy rains; in the 
greater number of cases, however, the loss of crops was due to flooding, especially 
along the Cahaba and Alabama rivers in the counties of Perry, Dallas, Wilcox, 
and Monroe, Ala. In these counties approximately 250,000 acres of farm lands 
were inundated for several days, with a total loss of all crops thereon. The loss in 
these counties alone, figuring it at $10 per acre, a not unreasonable figure, ap- 
proached two and one-half million dollars. 

"It is reported that in the counties of Greene, Perry, Forrest, George, Jackson, 
and Harrison, Miss., the loss to standing timber that was leveled by hurricane winds 
will "approach $3,000,000. These figures have not been included in the aggregate 
above given, since a portion of the timber may be recovered. 

"In a few cases heavy loss by erosion has been reported, but it is believed that 
the gain from a deposit of silt, which must have been very general in the lower 
reaches of streams in the East Gulf States, will offset the losses by erosion. 

"That agricultural interests have suffered greatly can not be doubted for a 
moment, although to what extent in some regions is problematical. The regions 
most affected by heavy rains and strong winds were southeastern Mississippi, a large 
part of central and southern Alabama, and parts of South Carolina directly north- 
east of Charleston, extending thence through the line of counties on the west bank 
of the Great Pee Dee to the North Carolina border. 

"The damage in western North Carolina was largely confined to railroads, both 
steam and electric, industrial plants, public-service organizations, including water- 
power installation and other industrial enterprises. 

"Too much credit can not be given the railroads in their effort to re-establish 
and maintain transportation routes in the face of grave difficulties. In a number 
of cases the only possible solution of the problem was a resort to the methods of 
primitive people, viz., the ferry operated by man power. Within a week, or 10 days 
at the utmost, travel was restored in a limited way, of course, between all important 
points. 



12 



"An interesting phase of the subject is the probability of the occurrence of a 
similar disaster in the future. Unfortunately, our present knowledge of the under- 
lying causes of cyclonic storms, their distribution in time and space, is so indefinite 
that any discussion thereon must be largely speculative. It may be said, however, 
that the floods in Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia were due almost wholly to a 
single long-continued rainstorm which was closely associated with the passage inland 
of a tropical cyclone. Likewise, the floods of the rivers in the Coastal Plain of 
South Carolina, especially the Great Pee Dee, were due to the movement inland 
of a single tropical cyclone. The floods in the streams originating in North Caro- 
lina were clue to the torrential rains of the 15th and 16th, coming at the close of a 
period of heavy rains that were associated with the first or Alabama storm. Tropical 
cyclones do not, as a rule, synchronize as did these two, and on that fact we would 
base our belief that a repetition of the storms of July, 19 16, is not probable more than 
once in a century, at least." 



13 




Train No. 20. Running Through Backwater from the Tombigeee River Near Wagar, Ala. 




Train No. 19. Running Through Backwater from the Tombigbee River Near Wagar, Ala. 



14 



THE STORMS IN SOUTHERN RAILWAY 
TERRITORY 

How the Railroad and Bridges Were Rebuilt and Service Restored 

Both of the July storms spent their force largely in territory traversed by 
Southern Railway lines, and heavy losses through the destruction of property and 
the interruption of service were inevitable. 

The Gulf Coast storm, while of unusual severity and extent and although it 
interrupted service on some of the Company's important lines, presented no such 
difficult problems in reconstruction and the detouring of traffic as were presented 
by the later storm in the Carolinas. Although covering an unusual mileage, condi- 
tions were such as are met by the maintenance forces of all railroads in times of 
flood damage. Prompt restoration of service was merely a matter of getting to 
work as soon as the damage had been done, with ample forces and abundant equip- 
ment and materials, clearing away slides and repairing fills and trestles. The Gen- 
eral Superintendent of the Southern District and the men under him may well be 
proud of the record they made. For many of them it was in the nature of a rehearsal 
of the drama of reconstruction in which they were to play important parts on 
a larger stage later in the month. 

The storm in the Carolinas tested the efficiency of the Southern Railway organ- 
ization to the utmost, and it came through the test in a way to merit the encomiums 
and congratulations of the President's General Order of August nth. 

As will be seen by Professor Henry's account, the regions of heavy rainfall in 
western North Carolina were either immediately along the lines of the Southern 
Railway in that section of the State or on the headwaters of rivers the valleys of 
which are traversed by the Company's lines, and the damage was far beyond that 
done by ordinary high water, amounting to the total destruction of man) 7 miles of 
railroad. The rainfall immediately along the railroad along the many small streams 
of the region was responsible for most of the damage done on the Asheville-Salis- 
bury line between Catawba River and Asheville, on the Asheville-Spartanburg line 
and on the Transylvania Division. The damage immediately at Asheville and Bilt- 
more, and on the North Wilkesboro line, while increased by local rains, was due 
more largely to the flooding of river valleys, and that done on the Knoxville-Mor- 
ristown line and at the lower bridges across the Catawba was substantially all due 
to the river floods. 

The Catawba River, draining east into the Coastal Plain, did the chief damage, 
sweeping away nine railroad and all of the highway bridges which spanned it. 



IS 



Among these were four principal main line bridges of this Company on the radiat- 
ing Asheville, Charlotte, Columbia and Charleston divisions. A fifth Southern 
Railway bridge across the Catawba, near its headwaters west of Marion was only 
saved by the washing out of both approaching embankments. The Yadkin River, 
also draining east, destroyed our North Wilkesboro line for sixty-one miles through 
the narrow valley traversed by its upper waters. The French Broad River, draining 
west through Asheville, wrought devastation upon the road-bed of our Asheville- 
Morristown main line which follows that river, but, fortunately, our new concrete 
bridge at Asheville dammed the debris and held, thus protecting the several steel 
bridges lower down the river. In all, 686 miles of the Southern Railway in North 
Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee were put out of service by the second storm, 
and, adding the mileage put out of service by the Gulf Coast storm amounting to 
140 miles, makes a total of 826 miles of railroad that were put out of service by the 
two storms. 

The local storm on the Coster Division on August 3d put 69 miles out of opera- 
tion, making the total 895 miles of the Company's lines that were put out of service 
by flood damage for longer or shorter periods during the summer of 19 16. 




Trestle Approach to Cahaba River Bridge, 
Mobile Division. 



Floating Dry Dock with U. S. Tug "Gulfport" 
Washed Ashore at Mobile. 



W, 



THE GULF COAST STORM 

The Gulf Coast storm struck Mobile, Ala., at about 10 a.m., July 5th, with a 
wind velocity of approximately forty-five miles an hour, which increased until 6 
p.m., when it reached the maximum velocity of 107 miles per hour. This high 
wind, rushing in from the Gulf of Mexico, swept the waters of Mobile Bay up into 
the relatively narrow Mobile River, raising this stream to an unprecedented height 
and overflowing the entire business section of Mobile, reaching a depth of thirty-one 
inches in the Gulf Terminal passenger station. The principal damage at Mobile was 
caused by the high wind and the wave action on the waterfront. Southern Railway 
piers 4 and 5, and the coal hoist, were badly damaged, and considerable damage was 
done to freight loaded on cars in the yards. The new freight station was above 
the high-water mark, and suffered little damage. Vessels in the harbor were 
wrecked by being battered against the piers, or were lifted on the crest of the tidal 
wave swept in from the bay, and driven by the wind, were deposited on the docks, 
or carried considerable distances from the river front. A floating dry dock, con- 
taining the United States tug "Gulfport," was lifted up bodily and deposited on the 
Municipal dock with the tug" still in place. 

The high wind at Mobile was accompanied by a rainfall amounting to more 
than seven inches in the twenty-four hours from 8 a.m., July 5th, to 8 a.m., July 6th, 
but this was not an important factor in the damage done in that locality. 

As the storm swept inland, with high but decreasing wind velocities and 
increasing rainfall, the rivers of Alabama and Mississippi were soon raised above 
their banks, overflowing wide areas and interrupting railroad traffic by overflowing 
the tracks, causing land slides, and washing out trestles and fills. 

The first line put out of service was that between Marion Junction and Mobile 
at 6 p.m., July 5th, and from that time until 9 a.m., July 8th, line after line went out, 
until service had been discontinued on practically the entire railroad south and west 
of Birmingham. 

The repair of these damages presented no unusual problems, except those inci- 
dent to carrying on work simultaneously over such a wide extent of territory. There 
was no unnecessary delay at any point. Needed materials were quickly assembled, 
and, under the direction of General Superintendent J. H. Stanfiel, with the intelli- 
gent support of Division Superintendents II. H. Vance, Birmingham Division ; O. K. 
Cameron, Mobile Division, and E. E. Norris, Atlanta Division; Engineer of Main- 
tenance of Way R. D. Tobien, and their forces, repairs were quickly made and ser- 
vice over all lines except one short branch line, had been restored at 9 a.m., July 
13th. The magnitude of this task may be indicated by a summary of the damage 
on each division of the Southern District. 



17 



MOBILE DIVISION. 

The line from Marion Junction to Mobile was the first on which service was 
interrupted at 6 p.m., July 5th, the principal damage being wash-outs near Satsuma, 
Wagar, Glendon and Bogue Chitto. Service was resumed at 4:30 p.m., July nth, 
when the tracks at some points were still overflowed and the trains were operated 
through the water. 

The line from Marion Junction to York was put out of service at 8 a.m., July 
7th, by a wash-out near M. P. 27, between Marion Junction and Uniontown, and 
another near Lilita. Service was resumed at 12:00 m., July nth. 

The line from Marion Junction to Akron was put out of service at 8 a.m., July 
7th, by small wash-outs of road-bed and trestles out of line on three miles of road 
near Marion. Service was resumed at 1 p.m., July 8th. 

Service was interrupted on the line from Selma to Marion Junction at 9 a.m., 
July 8th, when the water was over the track from six to eighteen inches for a dis- 
tance of two miles at the Cahaba River near Lake Lanier. The road-bed was badly 
washed the entire distance, and a trestle was washed out at M. P. 202. Service was 
resumed at 9 a.m., July 13th. 

Damage on the line of the Mobile Division north of Selma was limited to sev- 
eral small wash-outs and slides. 

BIRMINGHAM DIVISION. 

The principal trouble and interruption of service was between Parrish, Ala., 
and Columbus, Miss., where service was discontinued at 4 a.m., July 7th, three 
trestles being washed entirely away, and twelve being badly out of line. The 
road-bed was badly cut at forty-two different places, ranging in length from 500 
feet to 3,000 feet. Service was resumed on this line at 1 p.m., July 10th. 

The Woodlawn-Bessemer Branch between Ensley and Valley Creek Junction 
was put out of service at 10:30 a.m., July 7th, on account of two feet of water 
over the track at Valley Creek and of the trestle washed out at Valley Creek Junc- 
tion. Service was resumed at 1 40 p.m., July 8th. 

The Short Creek Branch between Ensley and Maxine was put out of service at 8 
a.m., July 7th, on account of five trestles out of line and small slides at different 
points. Service was resumed at 5 p. m., July 16th. 

On the Flat Top Branch between Littleton and Porter, service was discontinued 
from 7 a.m., July 7th, to 6 p.m., July 12th, on account of slides. 

Very little damage was done between Birmingham and Atlanta. 

There were numerous small wash-outs on the Atlanta Division in the vicinity of 
Rome, Dallas, Austell and Dames Ferry, and several slight wash-outs on the Colum- 
bus Division, but there was no serious interruption of service on either of these 
divisions. 



18 







Steam: - :: "Charles E. Cessna" Ashore at Mc 





Steamer "City of Mobile" on the Municipal Wharf at Mobile. 



19 



UK1! 







■■ - - 

" i- lit ■ 






I . 




Steamers Sunk at Mobile. 




U. S. Barge "Twining" on the Municipal Wharf at Mobile. 



20 



Jar V'JMS 



*> ■"I"'*' ' ~-c 1 _«-- c »'. 



I 






^-fW*-*""*** r 



g ftij£g§»3 





-^a>^ y^sLj^'-^r^ 



«i»... < 










Cotton and Debris on Southern Railway Tracks in Commerce Street, Mobile. 




Debris on Southern Railway, Mobile & Ohio and Louisville & Nashville Tracks at Mobile. 

21 




Cotton Shed on Mobile & Ohio Pier No. 2, Mobile. Over 11,000 Bales of Cotton Were Washed Away. 



• 


i 

3/» 


^^^^^^. .8 




^fe. m '"^^ '•^^^ -^ .^* 










fit 
— ^ 4 


*^^ 



Southern Railway-Mobile & Ohio Pier No. 5, Mobile, Unroofed by the Wind. 

22 




* - *5J 



(** 



-- •*> 



Barge on Southern Railway Side Track to Pier No. 5, Mobile. 




Lever-Car Running Through Backwater on Mobile Division. 
23 




Erosion of Soil About the Rubble Walt, of a Well Near Chimnsy Rock, N. C. 



24 



THE STORM IN THE CAROLINAS 

As is indicated in Professor Henry's account of the storm in the Carolinas, the 
heavy rainfall began on July 14th on the lower reaches of the rivers traversing 
the coastal plain of the Carolinas and moved inland with increasing intensity until 
it culminated in the downpour of July 15th and 16th on the watersheds of the head- 
waters of these rivers and of the French Broad in western North Carolina. As 
a result of this, the rains on the coastal plain and in the Piedmont had run-off to 
a considerable extent before the crest of the high water had come down from the 
mountain regions; but the rivers were still at flood stage, greatly increasing the 
damage done when the crest of the flood came down from the mountains. But 
for this mountain flood the damage done by the rainfall in the Piedmont and 
coastal plain regions would have been slight. 

The figures of the Weather Bureau showing the maximum rainfall of 22.22 
inches at Altapass, the highest 24-hour precipitation ever recorded in the United 
States, give some idea of the enormous volume of water that fell over an area of 
hundreds of square miles and rushed down the mountain sides and into the rivers, 
carrying destruction on its crest. Trees, growing crops, houses, factories, bridges 
and other structures on the river banks and in the mountain valleys were swept away. 
Only the heaviest re-enforced concrete construction, like that in the Southern Rail- 
way viaduct across the French Broad River, west of Asheville, could withstand the 
force of the rushing flood and the debris and wreckage which it carried. 

In the western North Carolina mountains the abnormally heavy rainfall 
which followed the Gulf Coast storm, amounting, at some of the Weather Bureau 
stations, to from eight to eighteen inches in the eight days ended July 13th, had 
completely saturated the soil and raised the level of all the streams. The water- 
soaked forest soil, with its large content of mica, was almost in a state of movement 
on the mountain sides, and the torrential rains of July 15th and 16th brought 
down successive avalanches, which swept away the road-bed, obliterating cuts and 
fills, on both of Southern Railway Company's principal' trans-mountain lines. 
Railway fills were swept away by slides from the mountains, carrying with them 
trees and rocks. This whole mass of debris was swept into mountain ravines form- 
ing temporary dams which went out later, thus producing successive flood crests 
and increasing the damage on the lower water courses. An excellent illustration 
of erosion caused by the rains of July 15th and 16th is afforded by the accompany- 
ing reproduction of a photograph of a well near Chimney Rock, N. C. The soil 
above bed rock was washed away without seriously damaging the dry rubble wall 
of the well which was left standing with the well curb on top twelve feet above the 
rock. 



25 



In his booklet on the North Carolina flood, Mr. W. M. Bell, of Charlotte, N. C, 
prints the following graphic account by Mr. F. C. Abbott of the view from a point on 
the Asheville-Salisbury line, near Old Fort : 

"Around the next turn we came to the river, and a complete picture of destruc- 
tion was before us. Not only the railroad, but its very foundations, had been swept 
away for the best part of a mile. Some of the track is buried under tons of sand 
and rock, then rises over a solid wedge of trees and stumps, then swings gracefully 
down in a long loop over the river to an embankment, then disappears again entirely. 
From here to the top of the mountain at the entrance of Swannanoa tunnel there is 
one continual scene of destruction. At some places track and foundations have 
dropped entirely into the river, heavy concrete abutments are in some cases broken 
and the track sagging down, several sections of track suspended in mid-air any- 
where from twenty to sixty feet, simply the rails and ties being left, the fills having 
gone from under them, and in other places slides down the mountains, covering the 
track absolutely out of sight with mud, gravel and rocks." 

This description might be repeated for almost every mile of the line from Ashe- 
ville to Statesville and for much of the line between Asheville and Spartanburg. 

The destruction wrought by the storm came so suddenly that on July 15th 
many trains were caught on the line between terminals, and the fact that many 
more were not thus marooned is due to the timely warnings of section foremen and 
telegraph operators on the various lines. In addition to the large number of freight 
trains which were forced to discontinue their runs and take sidings at various points, 
and which are too numerous to mention here, the following passenger trains were 
storm-bound and isolated: Between Asheville and Salisbury, eastbound No. 12, at 
Marion, and westbound No. 21 at Connelly Springs; between Asheville and Spar- 
tanburg, westbound No. 9, in two sections, at Melrose, eastbound No. 10, in two sec- 
tions, at Saluda, and Transylvania Division numbers 4 and 8, at Hendersonville ; be- 
tween Asheville and Knoxville, eastbound No. 28 at Nocona and eastbound No. 12 
at Paint Rock. A heavy movement of passenger business to resort sections of west- 
ern North Carolina was in progress, and it is as remarkable as it is fortunate that no 
passenger train was overwhelmed by flood or land-slide and thus swept to destruction 
with inevitable loss of life by the carrying away of the structures or road-beds. Not 
a passenger was killed or injured as a result of the flood. The first care of every one 
concerned in the operation of the railway was for the safety and comfort of these 
passengers ; where there were not adequate hotel accommodations available, food 
supplies, bedding and other necessaries were collected and placed at their disposal, 
and while in some cases a few were necessarily subjected to inconvenience, there was 
not a single case of actual suffering from hunger or any other cause. 



26 




Carolina Machine Company, Asheville, Showing Locomotive Covered With Debris, 
Cab Washed Away and Tender Overturned. 




Another View of Carolina Machine Company Plant. 

27 




Southern Railway Tracks Under Water Near Biltmore, N. C. 




Houses Floating Down French Broad River at Ashevill 
Coal Chute in Background. 



28 



ASHEVILLE AND BILTMORE. 

As Asheville is the hub of the radiating Southern Railway lines in western 
North Carolina it may be regarded, from the viewpoint of the railroad, as the 
storm center in that region. The rainfall at Asheville was not excessive, amount- 
ing on July 14th, 15th and 16th to only 2.85 inches, but early Sunday morning the 
rushing waters of the French Broad and the Swannanoa flooded the entire lower 
part of the city of Asheville and all of the neighboring model village of Biltmore. 
Here the lower part of beautiful All Souls' Church, built by the late Geo. W. Van- 
derbilt, and the Vanderbilt Hospital were flooded, houses in the village were swept 
away, and, despite heroic efforts at rescue, several persons were drowned. 

At Asheville the water rose so rapidly that automobiles and street cars were 
abandoned in the streets near the Southern Railway Passenger Station, and two men 
who were trying to carry food to guests marooned in the Glen Rock Hotel nearby 
were drowned. The water in the station was several feet deep and reached nearly to 
the roofs of the umbrella shed, all of the tracks through Asheville and in the yards 
being under water and, in some places, covered with masses of drift of all kinds. 
Engines under steam in the adjacent freight yards were hastily abandoned, and a 
round-house employee was drowned in an attempt to seek safety. 

The first information about the flood reached the headquarters of the Middle 
District at Knoxville about 3 p.m., on Saturday, July 15th, by wire from Mr. F. S. 
Collins, Superintendent of the Asheville Division. Mr. J. B. Akers, Engineer 
Maintenance of Way, and the roadmasters of the Middle District were in session 
in their regular monthly meeting at the time. Mr. xA.kers, Mr. T. S. Boswell, Super- 
intendent of the Murphy Division; Mr. B. M. Smith, Roadmaster of the Asheville 
Division; Resident Engineer Harris, of the Middle District, and Mr. A. H. Caldwell, 
Roadmaster of the Transylvania Division, immediately arranged to go to Asheville 
on passenger train No. 102, leaving Knoxville at 4:35 p.m., instructions first having 
been given for pile-driver P-24 to run special from Chattanooga to Asheville, and for 
the Coster and Knoxville Division forces to load and forward bridge timber. The 
pile-driver special between Knoxville and Asheville picked up Bridge and Building 
Foreman E. S. Travis, with his gang and a car of timber at White Pine. This spe- 
cial arrived at Asheville about 5 a.m., Sunday, July 16th, and, with the exception of 
trains over the Murphy Branch, was the last train to go through for two weeks. Pas- 
senger train No. 101 left Asheville at 6:10 a.m., Sunday, and ran through to Knox- 



29 



ville ahead of the flood waters, warning the inhabitants of the towns and villages 
along the way. 

On his arrival at Asheville Saturday night, Mr. Akers immediately started a 
force of men loading trestle timber in the Asheville Yard, and this work was con- 
tinued until the water became too deep. At daylight Sunday morning an unsuccess- 
ful attempt was made to reach Biltmore. It was found that the waters, which were 
still rising, had covered all of the tracks for about three and one-half miles, from a 
point half a mile east of Biltmore to the west bank of French Broad River. The east- 
bound main track just east of Victoria Drive leading to the Vanderbilt estate, was 
washing badly, but further damage at this point was prevented by piling bags filled 
with chats along the down stream side of the track; however, considerable work 
was afterward necessary to restore this main line. The damage at, and in the im- 
mediate vicinity of, Asheville was all done on Sunday morning; the city was com- 
pletely cut off from the outside world, and from any communication with supplies, 
or labor and material, with the exception of yard gangs, and one bridge gang which 
had come in with the pile-driver special on Saturday night. 

Little could be undertaken, except the assembly and organization of the largest 
possible number of local laborers who were gathered as quickly as possible and 
lodged and fed in box cars, while the only work which could be accomplished was 
the salvage of such Company property as could be made fast, and such Company 
lumber and timber as could be protected by means of log booms. While the flood 
was at its crest and considerable anxiety was being felt for the double-track rein- 
forced concrete girder viaduct over French Broad River the county structure 
known as Smith's Bridge, at the foot of Haywood Street, and just above the double- 
track bridge, was carried away by the accumulation of driftwood above it, and this 
structure, with the flotsam which its displacement liberated, added to the burden 
already being carried by the reinforced concrete double-track bridge. This struc- 
ture stood the test of the flood and drift, and was not damaged to any extent, in spite 
of the mountain of drift which had lodged against it. Erosion from the flood 
waters began in the fill at the east end of the bridge, but by the prompt expedient of 
driving sheet piling, the westbound track was saved, although the eastbound track 
was washed out. Late in the afternoon of Tuesday, July 18th, the flood had receded 
sufficiently to allow the forces to begin work cleaning off the yard tracks, shoveling 
mud off of the main tracks, and clearing switches of debris so that work-trains could 
be made up and operated as far as the rails were intact. Almost the entire yard of 
about 1,500 cars capacity, including freight station, round-house, shop buildings, 
turn-table, coaling station, cinder pits, and other facilities, was covered with mud, 
drift and debris of all sorts, the silt deposit in many places being more than 12 inches 
in depth over the rails, while the passenger station, which had had ov^r five feet of 
water above the floor line, was in very bad condition. Creosoted piles, telegraph 
poles and bridge timbers that had been stored near the west end of the yard were 
drifted together with all kinds of lumber from up-stream, fragments of houses, 
and other debris, around and between cars in the yard, and the work of extricating 
the equipment from these entanglements required several days when forces were 



30 



finally available for that purpose. As soon as conditions permitted, on Tuesday 
the 1 8th, a 120-ton wrecking- derrick was assigned to work loading all of the bridge 
timber which was accessible, and this prompt action materially advanced the prog- 
ress of the work of the forces within the next few days. The supply of cross-ties 
around Asheville had been washed away, and others on the division could not, of 
course, be reached. It was, therefore, necessary to purchase on the Murphy Division 
all of the available cross-ties and rush them to the Asheville Division for use in 
temporarily cribbing the track in wash-outs and breaks. 

The Murphy Division, which was the only line open into Asheville, extends 
westward] y from that point 123 miles to a connection with the Louisville & Nash- 
ville Railroad, at Murphy, N. C. This line suffered only slight damage, and was 
blocked only a few hours. Accordingly this division was used to its capacity and 
taxed to its utmost in bringing in the large quantities of material that had been 
shipped or detoured by way of Knoxville, and the L. & N. R. R., to Murphy, and 
also bore the entire burden of handling passengers in and out of Asheville, and carry- 
ing miscellaneous supplies into that city. This indispensable service was efficiently 
handled by Supt. T. S. Boswell, who remained out on his line the entire time, and 
who, in addition to supervising this unusual train service, attended to the detail of 
purchasing and forwarding all of the cross-ties and bridge timber available on his 
division. 

As soon as General Superintendent G. R. Loyall of the Middle District learned of 
the disastrous conditions, he made his way, as quickly as possible, to Asheville, going 
by way of Murphy, and upon arrival immediately assumed active charge of all the 
reconstruction work in that section. Under his direction Mr. Akers was placed in 
charge of the forces, material and equipment directed toward reconstruction in 
three directions out of Asheville, and he was assisted during the first few days by 
Mr. Alexander Harris, Resident Engineer, who later went to the Salisbury line as 
Principal Assistant to Mr. T. H. Gatlin, Asst. Chief Engineer, M. W. & S. Mr. J. A. 
Walker, Asst. Roadmaster of the Birmingham Division, made his way to Asheville 
on foot from a point near Spartanburg over the badly damaged mountain country, 
and upon arrival at that point was placed in charge of a force of 125 men to work 
westward from Asheville along the river line toward Morristown. His force con- 
sisted of Principal Asst. Engineer Crenshaw's Construction Department gangs 
under Foreman Parker, and two bridge gangs under Foremen Turner and Travis. 
These forces were augmented later by two additional large gangs under Foremen 
Davis of the Mobile Division, and Edmonston of the Birmingham Division, together 
with three bridge forces from the Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Rail- 
way. Mr. Walker's forces were thus recruited to 225 men. 

An encouraging feature was the initiative of the Section Foremen in the flooded 
district, all of whom were found at work reconstructing their lines on their sections 
as best they could under conditions of shortage of labor and material, and these 
detached units deserve special commendation for this work in the salvage of the 
property and its reconstruction. Indeed, this spirit was encountered on every sec- 
tion affected by the floods. 



31 



Trainmaster C. G. King, of the Asheville Division, with Bridge Foremen Huff- 
man and Deal and their forces, and also Road Carpenter W. M. Liverett, made 
their way into Asheville from the Salisbury line by walking over the mountain from 
Nebo, a distance of 45 miles, and were promptly on hand to assume their responsibili- 
ties when the flood waters receded. 




French Broad River at Asheville. Remaining Spans of Smith's Bridge in 
Foreground Went Out Soon After Photograph Was Taken. 



32 




Southern Railway Passenger Station, Asheville. 




Train Sheds, Southern Railway Station, Asheville. 



33 




Roundhouse and Part of East Yard, Asiieyii 




View from Roundhouse at Asheville at Height of Flood. 



34 




. ; .^ 






Debris Left in Yard and Roundhouse at Asheville When Water Receded. 




Yard and Roundhouse at Asheville While the Flood Was Rising. 



35 








Debris Near Asheville Concrete Bridge at Height of Flood. 




Fire Caused by Slaking Lime in Box Car in Asheville Yard During Height of Flood. 



36 



£» . ..... ;£j ■-.■•■ ^..^jfaX.J 




Southern Railway Tracks Under Asheville Concrete Bridge After Water Receded. 




Southern Railway Tracks Under Water Below Smith's Bridge at Asheville. 



37 




Smith's Bridge, Asheville, Wrecked by Debris. 




Texaco Oil Yard, Asheville. 



38 




Spring Street Approach to Smith's Bridge, Asiieville. 





Remains of Riverside Park, Asheville — Water Receding. 
39 




French Broad River Near Murphy Junction. 



ly Viaduct in Backc 




Southern Coal Company's Yard, Asheville. 



40 



ASHEVILLE-SALISBURY LINE. 

On the line between Asheville and Salisbury substantially all of the flood dam- 
age occurred on Sunday, July 16th. From Eufola, ,32.8 miles west of Salisbury, 
through to Asheville, the entire line was a wreck. Bridges were out, cuts and fills 
were obliterated, and, over the entire distance of 108.2 miles, there was scarcely any 
undamaged track. 

Upon receiving the first reports of the disaster, Mr. E. H. Coapman, Vice-Pres- 
ident and General Manager, and Mr. T. H. Gatlin, Assistant Chief Engineer of 
Maintenance of Way and Structures, started immediately for the scene of the 
trouble, arriving at Statesville at 5:30 a.m., on Monday, July 17th. There they 
learned that the bridge across the Catawba River, three miles west of Eufola, had 
been carried away at 9:15 a.m., July 16th. It was evident that one of the first needs 
would be means for the transfer of materials and passengers across the river, and a 
force of men was set to work at Statesville making ferry boats. Mr. Coapman and 
Mr. Gatlin then started out on the line, arriving at Eufola at 6:30 a.m., and, walk- 
ing west on the track to Buffalo Creek, they found bridge forces and extra forces 
from the Danville Division which had been sent forward by General Superintendent 
Simpson. The track was under water for three miles. Buffalo Creek bridge gird- 
ers and approaches had been badly displaced by the force of the flood and the accu- 
mulation of drift. The Catawba River, visible from high ground at Buffalo Creek, 
was a raging torrent, with a current running about twenty miles an hour and three 
distinct channels of flow apparent. At that time the water had receded about twelve 
feet, but the track, as far as could be seen, was under water or badly washed away, 
Mr. Coapman and Mr. Gatlin spent the remainder of the day at Buffalo Creek organ- 
izing forces and arranging for materials. 

On returning to Eufola, they learned that the double-track bridge across the 
Yadkin River on the main line three miles north of Spencer was in danger. Obtaining 
a special engine and crew, they went at once to this bridge and remained until 3 a.m., 
Tuesday, July 18th, when, being satisfied that it was safe, they returned to Eufola and 
spent the morning taking care of forces which came in, assigning them to work and 
arranging temporary quarters. Mr. C. G. Arthur, Superintendent of the Richmond 
Division, and Mr. N. L. Hall, Bridge Supervisor of the Danville Division, were 
placed in charge of the bridge forces, track forces, pile-drivers, etc., which had been 
assembled and were arriving for the purpose of rebuilding the Catawba River Bridge 
at this point. After remaining with this organization for a time, Mr. Coapman left 
them in charge and returned to Washington to direct the larger administration of 
affairs in the reconstruction of all of the lines in the flooded district. By 1 o'clock 
Tuesday, July 18th, the Catawba River had receded sufficiently to effect a crossing in 
the boats which had been hurriedly built. The force of the current was so great that 
the boats landed many thousand feet down stream from the point where they had left 
the opposite shore. Mr. Gatlin and Assistant Engineer Fritz Sharpe crossed the 
river and made their way to Catawba Station after detour ing about three miles 
across the country and arrived there at about 3 p.m. Accompanied by Company 



41 



Operator F. E. Drumwright, whom they had picked up here, they made their way on 
foot and by other means, such as marooned engines, spare lever-cars, etc., toward 
Asheville. They were able to go by engine from Newton to Connelly Springs, a dis- 
tance of about twenty miles, which was the only section of line of any considerable 
length between Eufola and Asheville (107 miles) that had not been seriously dam- 
aged. The trip from Connelly Springs to Glen Alpine was made the same night 
by walking, using a lever-car and the geared engine of the Kistler Tanning Company, 
at Morganton, which was kindly loaned by Mr. Kistler, weighing only thirty-two 
tons, and which could be operated at slow speed over badly broken fills, washed 
track and other damages. The first bad break was encountered about two miles west 
of Connelly Springs. West of Glen Alpine the damage was much more severe. At 
Bridgewater the track in the entire valley was washed out. The railway station had 
three feet of water over the floor, the passing track was destroyed and seven cars in 
a marooned freight train washed away. The approaches to Muddy Creek span had 
been washed out and the fills very badly broken, considerable lengths having been 
completely destroyed and the track gone. Passing Bridgewater, high ground was 
encountered again, and, while all the stream crossings were badly damaged, there 
were stretches of track of considerable length, which, by lining over, or otherwise 
temporarily treating, could be operated by the lightest class of engines obtainable, 
which were the geared engines in use by the tanning companies in that section. Near 
Bridgewater, Track Supervisor John D. Leonard, who was trying to make his way 
west and had to turn back, joined the party, which reached Marion about 2 p.m.. 
July 19th. Here train No. 12 was found marooned with about 225 passengers, who 
were being taken care of in the hotels and private houses as well as could be ex- 
pected in a small town whose electric lights and water supply were out of com- 
mission and the food supply limited. They were advised that temporary repairs 
were being rapidly effected, and that at the earliest practicable moment they would 
be moved with light equipment to the Catawba River and transferred by ferry to a 
special train which would take them to Salisbury. They were in good spirits and 
welcomed the news that they would soon be able to get away. 

The most pressing problem at Marion was that of an adequate food supply for 
the marooned passengers and the large forces then being recruited. All 
foodstuffs on wheels that could be found at the various stations and on passing tracks 
and loading tracks which had not been cut off or floated away by the flood had been 
commandeered, but the available supply was far below what would be necessary for 
the large additional forces that would have to be gathered for the reconstruction 
work, and the best information that could be had indicated that conditions on the 
line west of Marion were worse. 

Such bulk groceries as could be obtained from the wholesale merchants in Mar- 
ion without inconveniencing the public were bought, and arrangements were made 
with road commissioners to begin repairs of the mountain roads toward the west 
so that supplies could be hauled by wagon to a base to be established at the foot of 
the Blue Ridge Mountains at Old Fort, North Carolina. After arranging for a tem- 
porary base at M arion, the party proceeded westward on foot to Old Fort, a distance 



42 




Catawba River Crossing Near Eufola, N. C, Showing One of the Five Displaced 
and Wrecked Deck Truss Spans. 




Catawba River Crossing Near Eufola, N. C, Showing Temporary Structure With 
Wrecked Spans on the Right. 



43 




CATAWBA RIVER CROSSING 

Temporary Structure 1,600 Feet Long Across the River 

View After Two Piers for 




Catawba River Crossing. — Near View of Temporary Structure. 
44 













AR EUFOLA, N. C. 

> the Devastated Valley. Erected in Sixteen Days. 

manent Structure Had Been Completed. 






, ..." 





^:*" , ^'r-. 



Catawba River Crossing. — Distant View of Temporary Structure. 
45 








EFFECTS OF FLOOD IN CATAWBA VALLEY NEAR EUFOLA, N v C. 

Upper View— An Accumulation of Drift at Buffalo Creek Showing Girders Replaced. 

Lower View— Sand Drifts Removed from Track and Steel Car Washed Nearly a Mile Downstream. 



46 



of twelve miles, arriving- at 6:20 p.m., on Wednesday, July 19th. This part of the 
line traversed the valley of the Catawba River and the flood damage was much worse 
than below Marion. 

As Mr. Gatlin and his party made their way from Eufola to Old Fort they made 
arrangements for securing all available labor in the local communities, organized 
proper supervision and gave definite instructions for the prosecution of such work 
as could be done with the materials and appliances on hand. On arrival at Old Fort 
that point was selected as the working headquarters and base for the reconstruction 
of the line between that point and Connelly Springs, forty-three miles east, and for 
the heavy reconstruction work found to be necessary on the eleven miles of badly 
damaged mountain railroad between Old Fort and Ridgecrest on the west. Thirty- 
six hours were devoted to purchasing lumber and supplies, starting camps, organiz- 
ing wagon service, gathering and organizing laborers and collecting all available 
resources. On Friday, July 21st, Mr. Gatlin climbed Blue Ridge Mountain and 
walked to Black Mountain, where he met General Superintendent Loyall and Engi- 
neer Maintenance of Way Akers, and by using bridge forces and extra forces to 
transfer the motor car which they had with them over badly washed track and road- 
bed, they arrived at Asheville at 7 p.m. This trip through the Swannanoa and 
French Broad valleys covered territory in which the full force of the storm had 
been felt, and some idea may be obtained of the tremendous destruction wrought by 
the floods and landslides when it is stated that between Old Fort and Asheville, a 
distance of thirty miles, there was not a half-mile of continuous track that had not 
either been so badly washed as to be impassable or under which the road-bed had not 
entirely slipped away or on which there was not a deposit of mountain slides varying 
in depth from one foot to twenty-eight feet. The worst conditions were between Old 
Fort and Ridgecrest, where mountain avalanches had slipped down from heights 
varying from seventy-five to three hundred feet, with the toes of the slides resting 
in deep cuts, which were filled with a conglomerate of mud, stones, logs, trees and 
stumps, making the work of removal extremely difficult, and this difficulty was 
increased by the inaccessibility of the location and the continuing displacement of the 
sliding material. Fills over mountain chasms, having become saturated, had gone 
out, carrying the debris many hundred feet below and to distances from one-quarter 
to three-quarters of a mile, leaving the track suspended in the air. Culverts had 
washed out, taking the fills with them, while others had broken down and impounded 
the water behind the fill. Tunnel portals had slid in, and the tunnels were filled 
with water, logs, mud and stones which had been carried down the track by the rush- 
ing waters. Bridges and stone arches over mountain streams had been completely 
carried away, leaving scarcely a visible trace of the materials of which the)' had been 
built. Highways and trails had been almost obliterated, adding to the difficulties of 
getting men and materials for the work of restoration. There were seventy-seven 
complete breaks of track and road-bed between Catawba and Ridgecrest beside par- 
tial breaks and displacements all along the line. To describe these damages in detail 
and define their locations would burden this narrative to too great an extent. 

Returning from Asheville, Mr. Gatlin set about the task of enlarging and sys- 



47 



tematizing the organization at Old Fort on Sunday morning, July 23d. The lines of 
Southern Railway Company and other railroads in that territory being broken at 
many points, it was realized that many days, if not many weeks, must elapse before 
organized working forces and any adequate supply of tools, equipment, machinery 
or labor-saving devices could be gotten in. The problem of organization, therefore, 
was to make the best use possible of the material at hand. The labor was unskilled 
and without experience in railroad work, and the tools few in number and generally 
unsuitable, or only such as could be found in an agricultural community. Scouts 
were sent in every direction to employ every mountaineer who could bring a tool of 
any description with him. Camps were constructed by local carpenters and the 
entire country from Hickory to Old Fort was scoured for tools, bedding, rations and 
such other supplies as could be found in the local stores. 

The men whom it was necessary to put in charge of working parties were gen- 
erally without knowledge of construction work and could be depended upon only to 
keep the men together, remove debris from the right-of-way and salvage such track 
and structural material as had drifted to places from which it could be removed. 
Many of the stream crossings could not be temporarily replaced without a pile- 
driver, owing to the fact that the rains had continued every day and the waters 
were still running high, and it was not until three weeks after the flood — on Sun- 
day, August 6th — that the first pile-driver was received at Marion by way of the 
Charleston Division and the Carolina, Clinchfield & Ohio Railroad. In the mean- 
time, an organization had been established, some of the county roads partially and 
temporarily repaired so that wagon trains could be operated, and forwarding depots 
and storehouses had been built for handling the large quantity of tools and materials 
required. On the trip west, immediately after the flood, all of the local lumber com- 
panies had been put to work cutting bridge timber, and, while the output was slow, 
owing to the necessity for rebuilding roads and trails over which to haul logs, a con- 
siderable supply of this class of material was available by the time connecting links 
had been replaced between the Catawba River and Marion, and work-train service 
was available for hauling this material to Greenlee and transferring it across the 
Upper Catawba River into Old Fort. Just before the first pile-driver was received, 
a considerable supply of all classes of tools, supplies, materials, etc., had been received 
at Marion, and forwarded by wagon to Greenlee, where it was transferred by hand- 
car over the light temporary structure at Upper Catawba River crossing, reloaded 
on the work-train and delivered at Old Fort, from whence it was hauled by wagon 
over almost impassable roads up the mountain to the various points of distribution. 

Train service had been established between Glen Alpine and the Catawba River, 
a distance of forty-seven miles, four days after the flood, and one passenger train 
and one local freight train each way per day afforded means for the better distribu- 
tion of food supplies and of communication between the crippled and discouraged 
communities. As this train service was extended during the reconstruction work the 
line was operated as a detached transportation unit by marooned train crews under 
the supervision of men picked up locally in the affected district. On July 24th, train 
service was extended from Glen Alpine to Marion, and within one week of the 



48 





DEVASTATION IN UPPER CATAWBA VALLEY. 
Upper View — Bridge Across the Catawba River Near Greenlee, N. C. One Pier and 

Both Approaching Embankments Were Washed Away. 
Lower View — Destruction of Fill Between Catawba River Crossing and Greenlee. 



49 








- 



Views Showing Condition of Track in Swannanoa River Valley Between Asheville and Ridgecrest. 



50 





Views Showing Washouts of Embankments and Masonry Abutments on Mill Creek Between Old Fort 
and Ridgecrest. The Girders Were Saved by the Washing Out of the Fills. 



51 





Views of Typical Instances of Destruction of Fills and Culverts on Line Bj 
a.sheville and salisbury — tl-iere were twenty-one of these cases. 



52 





Views of Typical Damage to Fills and Culverts in Mill Creek Bottom. 



53. 




All That Was Left of a Fill 14 Feet High and 1,200 Feet Long in Mill Creek Valley. 




Same Fill Replaced in Six Days by Three-Mile Hail of Borrowed Material. 



54 



receipt at Marion of the pile-driver and other equipment and supplies, train service 
was extended into Old Fort, thus obviating the necessity for the long wagon hauls 
to this point over the difficult roads and the transfer of materials by hand at Upper 
Catawba River. The opening of this line also increased the value of Old Fort as 
a base and made it possible to get steam shovel and rock outfits and other heavy 
equipment into the badly damaged mountain section. The preparatory work that 
had been done by laborers with small tools made it possible to operate trains west- 
ward from Old Fort to Dendron, a distance of four miles up mountain, within 
forty-eight hours after the time when train service into Old Fort was resumed. 

Dendron now became the most important working base and a camp for taking 
care of seven hundred men was established at that point. Three steam shovels with 
five work trains were quickly gotten to work, and three rock outfits were engaged 
in the task of blasting off new road-beds on the slopes of the mountains where fills 
and structures had been swept completely away, leaving nothing but bare rock on 
which it was impossible to hold a fill or a temporary trestle. Day and night forces 
were working in even shifts. Food supplies were issued on time by the Commissary 
Department at the camps. A complete sanitation service was organized all along the 
line at the very beginning of the work, and its efficiency increased from day to day. 
This feature of the work was under the general direction of Dr. W. A. Appleo-ate, 
Chief Surgeon, and under the immediate supervision of Drs. Ashworth and Mcin- 
tosh. Water issued to the men was boiled and sent out in steamed containers. Food 
was kept screened and was prepared and served with every precaution to ensure 
cleanliness and sanitation, and the persona! cleanliness of the cooks and handlers of 
food was carefully supervised at all times. Camps were well policed, carefully and 
thoroughly cleaned and treated daily with germicides and insect exterminators. All 
camps were provided with running water from locations and altitudes which 
insured freedom from contamination, and sanitary sewerage and shower baths were 
installed for the comfort and cleanliness of the men. Efficient sanitary measures 
were also enforced at all boarding car camps. The widespread and careful use of 
chloride of lime, paris green, and other chemicals, not only in the camps of the Com- 
pany, but in private sources of disease in the neighborhood, contributed to maintain- 
ing a high average of healthfulness at all times. The larger camps established for 
handling the work, not including the smaller camps at several points, were as 
follows : 

Catawba River (camp cars) 300 men 

Bridgewater (camp cars and buildings) 350 men 

Marion (camp cars) 225 men 

Greenlee (camp cars) 100 men 

Old Fort (camp cars and buildings) 600 men 

Dendron (buildings) 700 men 



55 



In all, one hundred and twenty-two miles of line were involved in the flood dis- 
trict between Ridgecrest and Salisbury. Between Eufola, Mile Post 33, and Ridge- 
crest, Mile Post 122, there was not a half mile of continuous track which was not 
more or less damaged by the flood. There were many breaks in the track between 
Eufola and Old Fort, the greatest of which was at the Catawba River, where a gap 
of 1,590 feet was made by the complete destruction of four spans of bridge — one 133 
feet, 6 inches; one 136 feet, 10 inches, and two 133 feet, 2 inches — and 178 feet of 
trestle approach, together with two piers, and several hundred feet of fill. 

Between Old Fort and Ridgecrest the destruction was so great as to involve 
considerable realignment and graduation on new locations. This relocation work was 
done by an engineering force loaned by Mr. D. W. Lum, at the head of the Valuation 
Department. Every part of the work was pushed as rapidly as practicable with the 
means and materials available. In all, there were about twenty-five hundred men 
engaged in the reconstruction work on the line between Eufola and Ridgecrest. 

Owing to the stress of circumstances this force was organized by putting in 
charge of various features of the work the best men available, without regard to their 
previous training and experience, but it was necessary in many cases to assign men 
to duties with which they were wholly unfamiliar. Notwithstanding these handicaps 
the strength and resourcefulness of the Southern Railway organization was demon- 
strated by the rapid progress made all along the line. The construction of the tem- 
porary trestle bridge across the Catawba River, which was a large piece of work 
in itself, was completed on August 7th, and the first train crossed the river on that 
day. 

From Ridgecrest to Asheville the reconstruction work, under the general super- 
vision of General Superintendent Loyall, was under the immediate direction of Engi- 
neer of Maintenance of Way Akers. The first work was done by Track Supervisor 
J. C. Townsend, who was at Ridgecrest with an extra gang and Ditching 
Machine No. 8 when the flood occurred and was cut off from communication in 
either direction. He immediately began the work of taking out slides and ditching 
cuts. At Mile Post S-123.8 a wash-out thirty feet deep and forty feet long was 
cribbed up on logs cut in the neighboring woods and filled with the ditching- 
machine. On the night of July 19th, a Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pa- 
cific Railway force under Building Supervisor Burns, with a bridge derrick, 
arrived at Asheville and was immediately started out in the direction of Ridge- 
crest, and on the following night Bridge Supervisor R. E. Price, from the Coster 
Division, arrived at Asheville and went out on this work, the details of which in- 
cluded the clearing out of cuts, the filling in of washes and the construc- 
tion of temporary bridges and trestles. Among the most serious breaks 
was one at Mile Post S-125, where the creek had washed out an old 
stone abutment and allowed the girder bridge to fall. A thirty-five-foot fill at the 
west end of the girder had also washed out for a length of about sixty feet. Another 
serious break was at Mile Post S-124, where there was a wash-out thirty-five feet 
deep and sixty-five feet long, and another was at Azalea station, where the Swan- 
nanoa River changed its course and washed out half of the fill in front of the station 



56 



for a distance of about five hundred feet. By means of temporary trestles and crib- 
bing", these breaks and others of smaller dimensions were rapidly closed and, on July 
24th, eight days after the flood, the first passenger train was run from Asheville to 
Black Mountain, and three days later the first train was operated to Ridgecrest. 
Bridge Supervisor Price and the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific forces 
were then moved to the Asheville-Morristown line, and further work between Ridge- 
crest and Asheville was done by the regular force. 

The progress of the construction work on the Asheville- Salisbury line may be 
measured by six weekly periods. Within one week after the flood, train service was 
established between the Catawba River and Glen Alpine. The second week it was 
extended to Marion; the third week to Old Fort, and by the end of four weeks 
the first work-train was operated over the entire length of the line. The next week 
regular passenger and freight service was inaugurated over the entire line, and at 
the end of the sixth week, on September 5th, full passenger and freight service was 
completely restored. 




AFTER WORK WELL DONE. 

Mr. Gatlin and Some of His Assistants on the Job — Taken on Sunday, August 27, When Passenger and 

Freight Operations Were Resumed Over the Mountain Division. The Locomotive is the First 

One Which Passed Over This Territory as a Work Train on August 20th. 



57 




HIGH RIDGE TUNNEL. 
Removing Slide Over Portal With Temporary Scaffold. The Loose Material on Face of Moun- 
tain Above Tunnel Continued in Motion for Seven Weeks After Flood. 



58 




VIEW THROUGH PORTAL OF HIGH RIDGE TUNNEL. 
Removing Saturated Material Which Continued to Slide Into Cut for Seven Weeks After Flood. 



59 




- 



K 



*s# 






«s* 




Slide at Portal of Lick Log Tunnel — Superburden is 200 Feet Above Track. 



60 




"vpical Slide of Slope of Mountain Cut With Foot Resting on Tracks at Dei-' 
Varying Five to Twenty-Five Feet. 



61 




View of the Giant Slide in Moore's Cut — Mud, Rocks, 
Trees, Roots and Debris of Miscellaneous Character from Six 
to Twenty-Four Feet Deep Over Track. This Was Typical of 
the Slides in All the Cuts in the Mountain Regions on the 
Asheville-Salisbury and Asheville-Spa-rtanburg Lines. 

Opposite View Shows Track After Partial Removal of 
Slide With Labor Collected from the Neighborhood and Such 
Tools as Were Available. 



62 




63 




Upper View — Slide in Cut Near GraphitevilT-e — The Superburden is ISO Feet Above the Track. 
Lower View — Slide Between Grapiiiteville and Coleman After Foot Had Been Moved by Hand and New 
Track Built. Original Track is Under Debris. 
Opposite View — East End of Slide 1,000 Feet Long in Cut Near Graphiteville. 



64 




65 




RECONSTRUCTION OF LINE AT MILE-POST S-120. BETWEEN RIDGECREST AND OLD FORT. 
At This Point Fill Adout 120 Feet High Containins 85,000 Cubic Yards of Material Slid Out, Leaving 

the Track Swinging, as Shown in the Lower Picture. 
Opposite View Shows Same Point Before Reconstruction, and is Typical of the General Damage to 

Fills on the Mountain Lines. 



66 




67 




«*^ 

















On this and Opposite Page Views of Further Typical Exampl 






:n Old Fort and 



RlDGECREST WHICH SLID DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, LEAVING TRACKS SUSPENDED. 




69 




REMAINS OF FILL AND CULVERT 
This Material Slid Over Three Hundred Feet Down the Mountain Side. The Former Position 
of This Fill and Temporary Reconstruction Work Are Shown in the View on the Opposite Page. As 
in All Other Cases of Sliding Fills, the Movement of the Mass Stripped the Original Soil to Solid 
Bed Rock, Making Necessary Detours from the Original Location to Obtain Solid Ground in Which 
to Drive Pile Trestles, or on Which to Found a Foothold for Embankments. 



70 




71 





•Typical Material Composing Slides in All. the Mountain Cuts on the Asiieville- Salisbury Line Which it 
Was Necessary to Remove by Hand, Using Marooned Engines and Cars for Work Trains. 



72 



ASHEVILLE-MORRISTOWN LINE. 

From the west end of the reinforced concrete bridge across the French Broad 
River at Asheville westward for a distance of about sixty miles, the Asheville- 
Morristown line of the Knoxville Division was practically a wreck. With the 
exception of a wash-out about eighteen hundred feet long at Rankin, the damage 
between Bridgeport, Tenn., and Knoxville was light. 

The first reports of damage on this line were received at Knoxville Sunday 
morning, July 16th, about 6 o'clock. Knoxville Division forces were loading lumber 
at Chattanooga and Cleveland for the Asheville Division Saturday afternoon and 
night. This lumber and the available forces were gathered as quickly as possible 
on Sunday afternoon and started from Knoxville, but it was found that the track 
east of White Pine was under water, in places to a depth of nine feet, so that the 
repair forces were held up until Tuesday, July [8th. 

Conditions on this line were different from those on the Asheville-Salisbury 
and the Asheville-Spartanburg lines in that the rains were not severe enough to 
cause slides, and the damage was caused by the high water in the French Broad 
River, resulting in wash-outs of the line, which follows the river bank. In 
places the road-bed, whether on fills or benches, was washed away entirely, and in 
others it was under-washed on the river side. In many places rails and ties had 
been washed into the river, and the rails were twisted so that they could not be 
relaid. 

The situation at Marshall, N. C, was exceptionally bad because of the location 
of the town in the narrow lowland between the river and the mountain. The rail- 
road at this place is protected by a masonry wall along the edge of the river, and is 
paralleled by the main street of the town about one hundred feet awav, the railroad 
and the street being fifteen feet above the normal level of the river. The crest of 
the flood was about seven feet above the track. As at Biltmore, the waters rose 
very rapidly and, but for advance telegraphic warning, many lives might have been 
lost. Even with this warning, two residents of the town were drowned, and the loss 
of property was great. 

Work from the west end of the line was carried on under Assistant Road- 
master Rigby with the advantage of being accessible for delivery of equipment and 
supplies from Knoxville. Owing to conditions in and around Asheville and to the 
difficulty of concentrating men and materials at that point, it was not until Satur- 
day, July 22d, that Assistant Roadmaster J. A. Walker, of the Birmingham Divi- 
sion, was able to begin to work westward!}- with a Construction Department force 
under Foreman Parker. 

The temporary repair work consisted largely of building cribbing in the 
washed places, realigning and strengthening trestles, lining track over onto firm 
ground and clearing away drifts. The line was connected for the through opera- 
tion of work-trains about 5 p.m., Sunday, July 30th. Beginning July 18th, service 
was operated between Knoxville and Del Rio. On July 226., service was extended 



73 



to Hot Springs. On August ist, the General Manager's special was handled 
through to Asheville, and, on August 3d, through passenger and freight service was 
restored. 

The Asheville and Craggy Mountain Railroad bridge over the French Broad 
River at Craggy (a subsidiary line) was washed entirely away, leaving only a few 
of the foundations in the river. The fill approaches at each end were also washed 
away. No repair work was done on this trestle until the necessary forces could 
be supplied from the Asheville Division to rebuild it. After the main lines were 
all connected, with the exception of the Asheville-Salisbury line, two bridge forces 
were put on this work and rebuilt the structure in exactly the same character as for- 
merly. 

Superintendent O. B. Keister, of the Knoxville Division, remained at his head- 
quarters in Knoxville in wire communication with the working forces on the divi- 
sion, giving personal attention to the purchase of supplies, to getting material for 
the Asheville Division handled through Knoxville by way of the Louisville & Nash- 
ville Railroad and the Murphy Division, and also to the handling of an unprece- 
dented movement of trains between Bristol and Cleveland, Tenn., brought about 
bv detourine througfh traffic from the Washington-Atlanta main line. 




Reinforced Concrete Viaduct Across the French Broad River West of Asheville Which Withstood the 
Flood, Holding Back Debris and Saving Bridges Down the River. 



74 




Washout at the East End of Viaduct, Showing How Westbound Track Was Saved by Piling. 




Debris Above Viaduct When Water Receded. 



75 




Looking East from Marshall, N. C. — Southern Railway Track Under Water in Front of Buildin 




Marshall, N. C, After Water Receded. Southern- Railway Track Washed from 
Wall On Opposite Side of River. 



76 




Marshall, N. C, After Track Had Been Repaired and Debris Partly Cleared Away. 




Marshall, N. C, Looking West from Station. Point at Which Two Lives Were Lost. 



77 




A Tangle of Tracks at Del Rio, Ten; 




Near Runion, N. C. Near Buffalo Rock, Tenn. 

Typical Cases of the Washing Out of Fills Along Water Courses. 



78 



ASHEVILLE-SPARTANBURG LINE. 

On the line between Asheville, N. C, and Spartanburg, S. C, the damage was 
similar in character to that on the Asheviile-Salisbury line, and was fully as serious, 
except that the mileage was not so great and it did not include any such structure 
as the Catawba River Bridge at Eufola. 

Out of Asheville, the first damage was on the curve west of the Swannanoa 
River where about one thousand feet of double track was washed down into the 
field, and from this point eastward forty miles to Tryon, N. C, there was little 
of the line in passable shape. The greatest damage was on the Saluda mountain, 
where, in addition to the practically complete destruction of the railroad by the tor- 
rents which rushed down the mountain, the fifty-five-foot deck girder bridge across 
the Pacolet River at Melrose was carried out. The damage consisted principally 
of the washing away of fills and bridges and the filling of cuts by slides. When fills 
had not been washed out they had, in several instances, sloughed off for long dis- 
tances. 

On this line, as on others, bridge and section foremen and train crews did not 
wait for instructions, but immediately set about doing such repair work as they 
could do with the means at hand, in some cases going into the woods, cutting timber 
and building trestles that were of great value in hastening the work when they were 
reached by the organized and equipped repair forces. 

It was not until Tuesday, July 18th, that the waters had fallen sufficiently to 
permit of work out of Asheville. Then, with such forces and equipment as were 
available, and which were increased from day to day, the work of reconstruction 
was pushed steadily southeastward. Slides were cleaned away, breaks temporarily 
filled in with trestles or cribbing to carry the tracks until permanent fills could be 
rebuilt, and rails and ties which had been carried long distances from the right- 
of-way were brought back and placed in the track, in some cases piecemeal. In other 
places the track was moved back into place with block and tackle. In the Mud 
Creek bottoms, west of Hendersonville, the track had to be taken out of the water, 
which was still several feet deep. Supplies of piles and other lumber along the line 
and sent in from the supply stations were supplemented by cutting trees in the 
woods. 

While the work eastward from Asheville was in progress, the wrecked line on 
the Saluda Mountain was attacked from both ends. Superintendent Collins and 
Bridge and Building Supervisor Reister had gone to Saluda on the evening of Sat- 
urday, July 15th, as soon as they learned of the heavy rains in that locality. The next 
morning Mr. Reister went to Tryon, and, after getting together a force of about 



79 



forty men, which was greatly increased as fast as the men could be collected, began 
to work westward up the mountain, repairing sloughed-off fills, lining over and crib- 
bing up tracks, building trestles and cleaning off slides. At the Pacolet River cross- 
ing at Melrose the bridge was out and the trestle approach, about three hundred 
feet long, had been washed down the river about eight feet. The trestle was gotten 
back into line and strengthened, and a temporary trestle was built across the river. 

While Mr. Reister was working up the mountain from the east, forces under 
Track Supervisor Mobley were clearing slides in the vicinity of Saluda and working 
down the mountain, cribbing up the track across washed-out fills until more per- 
manent work could be done. On Tuesday morning, July 25th, the line was con- 
nected up so that work-trains could be operated over its entire length and there- 
after, with two steam shovels at work, rapid progress was made. The first passen- 
ger train was operated through on August 3d. 

On the Asheville-Spartanburg line, substantial help was given by General Fore- 
man Bean, of the Noll Construction Company, with a force of sixty-five negroes, 
who had been working on a street paving contract in West Asheville, and by Mr. 
Coleman Allison, Foreman of the Balfour Quarry Company, who offered himself 
and sixty-five men for any kind of work. 




Near Balfour, N. C, Showing Track Left Suspended by the Sliding Out of a Fill. 




Southern Railway Track Under Water Near Biltmore, N. C. 




Bridge Over the Swannanoa, Near Biltmore, N. C. 



81 





rs Where Fills on the Saluda Mountain Slid Out, Leaving Track 
Showing the Crib Work Used in Temporary Restoration. 



82 




Trestle Damaged and Washed Out of Line Near Melrose, N. C. 




Fill Washed Out Near Big Cut, N. C. 
83 




Roadbed Washed Away and Track Under Water Near North Wilkesboro. 




Debris on Track Near North Wilkesboro. 



84 



NORTH WILKESBORO BRANCH. 

The North Wilkesboro Branch of the Winston-Salem Division was put out of 
operation by the overflow of the Yadkin River, which this line follows for a dis- 
tance of fifty-four miles between North Wilkesboro, N. C, and Donnaha, N. C. 
The road follows the river on its north bank at an average height of twenty feet 
above the normal level of the river and crosses the tributaries which flow into the 
Yadkin from the north on steel bridges and wooden trestles. 

The river began to rise late in the afternoon of Saturday, July 15th, and reached 
its highest stage, thirty-two feet above normal, by 10 o'clock that night, about eight 
feet above the previous highest water. The bottom lands along the river were over- 
flowed back to the higher ground on each side. Trees, houses and other buildings, 
lumber and wreckage of all sorts were swept down on the crest of the flood, and 
great damage was done to the fertile farms in the valley by washes in places fifteen 
and twenty feet deep, and by deposits of sand and mud many feet deep on lands 
which were out of the direct current of the flood. 

Nine and a quarter miles of main track and one and three-quarters miles of side 
track had been washed away. Three hundred and eighteen panels of trestles, aggre- 
gating four thousand three hundred lineal feet, had to be rebuilt or repaired. Of 
this, ninety panels were entirely rebuilt, and from the other two hundred and twenty- 
eight panels the deck had been washed away and had to be replaced. Where the 
track was not washed by the flood it was covered with mud and heavy drifts con- 
sisting of houses, box cars, trees, lumber and all kinds of miscellaneous materials, 
one of these drifts being fifty feet high and one hundred feet long. Approximately 
sixty per cent of the fifty-four miles of track affected was covered with mud and 
sand to a depth of from six inches to two and a half feet. The force of the flood 
was so great that loaded box cars with their trucks were swept five miles down 
stream, and one car, heavily loaded with tan bark, was carried from North Wilkes- 
boro to a point nine miles down the river. 

General Superintendent R. E. Simpson, at Richmond, Va., was notified of the 
trouble at 10:30 Saturday night, and forty-five minutes later was on his way to 
Donnaha with Engineer of Maintenance of Way G. E. Buckley. En route, Mr. 
Simpson arranged for forces from other divisions of the Northern District to begin 
loading lumber and piles early Sunday morning. On his arrival at Donnaha, Mr. 
Simpson started over the line on foot, organizing reconstruction work and arrang- 
ing for the employment of local labor, and gathering materials as he went. Tramp- 



85 



ing through mud, at places knee-deep, he reached Rockford Monday morning, 
Crutchfleld that evening, and North Wilkesboro Tuesday evening. 

Repair work was started at once, the main force advancing from Donnaha. 
Fortunately two bridge gangs had been marooned at what proved to be strategic 
points — one under Foreman Linville, at Elkin, and one under Foreman Hewitt, at 
Roaring River. These started to work Monday morning, July 17th, with such tools 
and materials as had not been carried away by the flood. By attacking the work in 
sections in this way, with forces aggregating about six hundred men, what had at 
first seemed to be a task that would require several weeks was quickly completed, and 
service was resumed on the entire line at 1 1 105 a.m., Tuesday, July 25th. The reopen- 
ing of this line in eight and a half days was one of the many notable achievements of 
the Southern Railway organization in repairing flood damages. This record was 
made possible by the untiring work of the regular Southern Railway forces 
engaged, by the employment of large numbers of additional men, and by the neigh- 
borly action of the Wautauga & Yadkin River Railroad, which turned over a force 
of about five hundred men under General Manager H. C. Landon, who rendered 
most valuable assistance. 

Bridge Foreman Hewitt and his force narrowly escaped drowning at the Roar- 
ing River bridge. They were on the structure protecting it from drift and were 
caught by the rapidly rising waters. They managed to reach the second floor of a 
house which, fortunately, was not swept away, but they lost all their camp cars and 
contents, including their tools, clothing and other personal belongings. 




ROCKFORD TANK, N. C, LOOKING EAST. 

This View and Those on the Opposite Page Show How the Track Was Lined Over 

Where the Roadbed Had Been Entirely Washed Away by the Yadkin River. 

Dotted Lines Show Center of Track on Old Locations. 



86 




Lime Rock, N. C, Looking E 




Lime Rock, N. C, Looking W: 



87 




& 





Typical Views Showing Washing Away of the Roadbed on the North Wilkesboro Line. 




View Across Yadkin River at Southern Railway Station. Elkin, X. 




Elkin, N. C, After Water Had Fallen About Three Feet. 



89 




Passenger Station at Ei.kin, N. C, After Water Had Fallen About Three Feet. 




Southern Railway Bridge Across Big Elkin River. 



90 




Near North Wilkesboro, N. C. — All Trace of the Railroad Washed Away. 






Devastation in the River Valley Near North Wilkesboro, N. C. 




91 




Catawba River Crossing Near Belmont, N. C. — View Immediately After Bridge Went Out, Si 

With Track Floating Down Stream. 




Catawba River Crossing Near Belmont, N. C, Showing the Beginning of the Work on the South Side. 



92 



THE CATAWBA RIVER BRIDGE NEAR BELMONT, N. C. 

The rains which fell in the Piedmont and Coastal Plain sections of North and 
South Carolina did little direct damage to the Company's lines, but they so filled 
the lower reaches of the rivers that when the floods swept down from the western 
North Carolina mountains, they rose to unprecedented heights, swept away bridges 
that were far above all previous high-water marks, and damaged the lines in the 
river valleys. 

In addition to the bridge across the Catawba River, near Eufola, N. C, on the 
Asheville-Salisbury line, the Company lost three other bridges across this stream, 
one of them a mile and a half north of Belmont, N. C, on the Charlotte Division, 
another five miles north of Rock Hill, S. C, on the Columbia Division, and another 
ten miles south of Rock Hill, on the Charleston Division. The loss of these bridges 
was a serious matter, not only because of the intrinsic value of the structures, but 
also for the reason that, by cutting the three lines of the Company south of Char- 
lotte, N. C, they put all of the lines of the Northern and Eastern Districts out of 
commission for through traffic, greatly increasing the difficulty of detouring trains 
and imposing additional burdens upon the Knoxville and Atlanta Divisions. 

It became apparent early on Sunday, July 16th, that the steel deck truss and 
plate girder bridge carrying the main line of the Charlotte Division across the 
Catawba River, one and one-half miles north of Belmont, was in danger of being 
carried away by the rushing waters sweeping under it and carrying vast quantities 
of wreckage of all kinds which piled against it. Strenuous efforts were made to save 
this bridge. All of the men available were sent out on the structure to push away 
the debris which had lodged against the bridge and the piers so that it could pass on 
down the stream. A steam derrick was hurried to the bridge from Charlotte to be 
used in handling wreckage that could not be passed under the bridge. A heavy 
northbound movement of peaches was in progress, and the work was interrupted 
from time to time to let peach trains pass. The water continued to rise and the accu- 
mulation of drift became more difficult to handle, until, at 5 135 p.m., the entire 
bridge went out, with the exception of one seventy-five-foot and one fifty-five- foot 
girder supported on an abutment and two piers at the north end. About two hun- 
dred and fifty feet of embankment was washed out at each end of the bridge, mak- 
ing the total length of the opening about eleven hundred feet. Fortunately, the der- 
rick and most of the workmen had been moved off of the bridge to permit the passage 
of the last peach train that got over it. There were, however, nineteen men on 



93 




Catawba River Crossing Near Belmont, N. C, Showing the Beginning of the Work 



rtii Side. 







Catawba River Crossing Near Belmont, N. C, Showing the Completed Temporary Structure. 

94 



the bridge when it went down, including Resident Engineer J. A. Killian, Super- 
visor H. P. Griffin, Car Inspector J. N. Gordon, Section Foremen C. S. Barbee, H. T. 
Savage, R. O. Thompson and W. L. Fortune, Derrick Hands C. W. Klutz, H. C. 
Guide)' and G. C. Kale, and Section Hands Evans Brown, Will Rice, Jule White, 
Daniel Heath, Andrew Scott, Tom Ashwood, Tom Davy, Sloan Adams and Will 
Ferguson. All of the section hands were colored. The water was so high and was 
running so swiftly that, with darkness coining on, immediate efforts to save these 
men were impossible, and ten of them were lost, including Supervisor Griffin, Car In- 
spector Gordon, Section Foreman Barbee, Derrick Hand Klutz and Section Hands 
Heath, Scott, Ashwood, Davy, Adams and Ferguson. The bodies of Supervisor 
Griffin, Section Foreman Barbee, Car Inspector Gordon and Section Hands Adams 
and Ferguson were subsequently found at points down the stream. Some of the men 
are supposed to have been killed by the falling steel work ; others were drowned, and 
others caught planks and other debris and floated down the river to points where they 
could catch hold of trees and climb out of the water. The men who reached these 
places of temporary safety remained in the tree tops until Monday morning. At dawn, 
Student Apprentice B. M. English and Western Union Foreman H. T. Verner went 
to the rescue of four men who were clinging to one tree, but just as one of the 
marooned party stepped into the boat it was overturned and swept down the river, 
Messrs. English and Verner saving themselves by climbing into the tree, and it was 
not until noon, when two negroes, Alfonso Ross and Peter Stowe, succeeded in get- 
ting all of the men out of the trees in a flat-bottom boat. 

The river continued to rise all through Sunday night and Monday afternoon 
until it had reached a level at least twelve feet higher than when the bridge went 
out, making the total rise of the river over fifty feet. As soon as the water had 
fallen sufficiently and men and material could be collected, the work of putting in 
a temporary bridge was commenced, and was carried on from both ends, although 
work at the south end was delayed by the fact that the bridge over the South Fork 
of the Catawba River, near Mayworth, N. C, had been damaged, and had to be 
repaired before work-trains could pass over. This bridge had been saved from 
destruction by Supervisor of Bridges and Buildings T. E. Sharpe, who, with a 
force of men, had kept off the drift. The first train was passed over it at 2 p.m., 
on July 1 8th. 

Immediately upon learning that the bridge over the Catawba River, near Bel- 
mont, had gone out, Chief Engineer Herman and Engineer of Maintenance of 
Way Lemond, who had been supervising the work at the South Fork bridge, went 
by lever-car to the Catawba River bridge, arriving within less than an hour after 
it had gone out. Immediately arrangements were made for ordering material and 
men to start the temporary bridge. At the north end the broken fill was levelled 
off and frame trestle work started. On the south end the broken shoulders of the 
fill were flushed with a steam shovel obtained from a contractor on the double-track 
work. By the time the frame trestle at the north end and the flushing of the fill at 
the south end were completed, pile-drivers with material had reached the site, and 
work driving pile trestles at both ends was started. In the meantime, with a view 



95 



to using plate girders which were on hand, the building of a pile-driver barge was 
also started. Notwithstanding the difficulty of constructing the barge and obtaining 
machinery for the river driver, this driver, under the supervision of Engineer A. Y. 
Willard, of the Construction Department, succeeded in driving two pile piers in 
mid-stream, making it possible successfully to land three seventy-five-foot girders 
by the time the pile trestles at each end were completed. An additional seventy- 
five-foot girder was landed on the pier which still remained on the south end and 
on a pile pier built by the driver. 

Work was carried on night and day, using Well's lights at night until electric 
lights were provided by the use of a dynamo of the Riverside Brick Company. The 
first train operated over the temporary bridge was No. 37 at 1 1 145 a.m., on Mon- 
day, July 31st, which was less than fifteen days after the bridge had been washed 
away. In the meantime the operation of passenger service had been resumed on 
July 26th, transfers across the river being made by ferry. A total of 2,701 pas- 
sengers were handled on this ferry. 

From an operating point of view the loss of this bridge, cutting as it did the 
main line between Washington and Atlanta, necessitating the detouring of through 
traffic from this line by way of Lynchburg, Bristol and Chattanooga, was one of 
the most serious effects of the flood, and its restoration within the shortest possible 
time was a matter of great importance. That it was accomplished so quickly in 
spite of difficulties in assembling materials and forces was largely due to the efficient 
supervision of the work by General Superintendent W. N. Foreacre, who was on the 
job day and night, and who was ably assisted by Chief Engineer Herman, Super- 
intendent Hungerford, Engineer of Maintenance of Way Lemond, Engineer of 
Bridges Usley, Principal Assistant Engineer Ezzell, Roadmasters Ballenger and 
Beasley, and Bridge Supervisor Welker, of the Washington Division. 

The temporary structure at this point is now being replaced by the new per- 
manent double-track bridge provided for in the plans for double-tracking that 
part of the line which is being built a short distance above the present temporary 
bridge and will be used as a single-track bridge until the double-track is com- 
pleted. 



96 



THE CATAWBA RIVER BRIDGE NEAR FORT MILL, S. C. 

The bridge across the Catawba River, three miles south of Fort Mill, S. C, 
was a deck riveted truss structure consisting of nine spans with a total length of 
1,129 ieet - AH of these spans except the one on the south shore were carried 
away. The piers were all more or less damaged, but their foundations were not 
injured, and the spans which were carried away were left by the receding water in 
such condition that they could be used in replacing the bridge as a permanent 
structure. 

The total length of the opening between the span which remained on the south 
shore and the abutment that remained on the north shore was 1,040 feet. As only 
one pile-driver was available, it was started from the south end. In the meantime, 
forces were engaged in picking up and replacing original spans which were on the 
ground and in the water immediately below the bridge. These spans were sup- 
ported on stone piers, blocking being used to level them where they had been 
broken off when the bridge went out. These forces succeeded in placing three 
spans in position by the time they met the pile-driver working from the south end. 
The total length of trestle built was 665 feet. The work was completed at 3 a.m., 
on August 7th, when train No. 31 passed over the structure. In the meantime, 
however, passenger service had been resumed on Saturday, July 226., transfers 
being made in three boats built by Company forces and also by five batteaux manned 
by Indians and commanded by an Indian named John Brown until, on Friday, July 
28th, a cable float operated by the current was put into operation. The work of con- 
struction was under the general supervision of Superintendent J. W. Wassum. The 
construction from the north shore was done by Engineer J. O. Hunt, of the Con- 
struction Department, who had under him Foremen Ketchie, Adams, Worsham, 
Hawington and Fox, and was assisted by Contractor J. P. Eichley and the Sea- 
board Construction Company. The foremen in charge of the forces which started 
to work as soon as the river went down were Bridge Foremen J. E. Null and J. B. 
Deal, with Sub-Foremen D. E. Wessinger and C. H. Deal. Later Foremen W. L. 
Haddon and R. E. Bird and Sub-Foremen J. T. Downs and R. L. Rattaree, of the 
Columbia Division, and Foremen C. W. Hill and J. W. Barnes and Sub-Foreman B. 
Bentley, of the Birmingham Division, arrived with their forces and helped on the 
work. 



97 



As soon as the temporary structure had been completed, work was immediately 
begun on restoring the permanent structure by building up the damaged piers and 
replacing the remaining steel spans. These were lifted out of the bed of the river 
by three 75-ton Bucyrus derricks and raised on cribs to the proper elevation. When 
a span had been placed in this position, the temporary trestle was cut away, the 
span was moved to its permanent position and the track rebuilt. This work was 
done under the personal supervision of Engineer of Maintenance of Way Lemond, 
assisted by Roadmaster J. R. Fowlkes, Supervisor of Bridges and Buildings J. L. 
Mauney and Foremen Null and Bird. Three times in succession they accomplished 
the work of getting a span into position from the crib work and the track rebuilt 
across it in the extraordinarily short time of three hours and thirty minutes. 




Catawba River Crossing Near Fort Mill, S. C. — View from South Side Soon After Bridge Went Out. 



98 




Catawba River Crossing Near Fort Mill, S. C. — Vjew from South Side After Water Had Receded. 










Catawba River Crossing Near Fort Mill, S. C. — View from North Side Showing Damaged Piers and Steel 

Spans in the River Bed. 



99 




Catawba River Crossing Near Fort Mill, S. C, Showing Temporary Structure Nearixg Completion. 




Catawba River Crossing Near Fort Mill. S. C, Showing Steel Spans Being Lifted from River Bed to 
be Replaced in Permanent Structure. 



100 



CHARLESTON DIVISION. 

The first damage on the Charleston Division was done by the tail of the Gulf 
Coast storm which caused an overflow of the Broad River, near Vein Mountain, 
N. C, cutting out about fifty feet of embankment on Sunday, July yth, which was 
repaired the following day by driving piles and filling in. On Saturday, July 15th, 
about twenty- four hundred feet of track was washed out at a point fourteen miles 
west of Charleston. This was cribbed up with cross-ties, and detoured Atlantic 
Coast Line passenger trains, as well as Southern Railway trains, were handled 
with little delay. 

On the same day the line from Blacksburg, S. C, to Marion, N. C, was put 
out of service by wash-outs at the west end of the trestle over Buffalo Creek and 
at the east end of the trestle over Cathies Creek and the wash-out of a fill at a point 
two miles west of Mooresboro, N. C, and by damages caused by wash-outs and 
slides on practically all of fifteen miles of track east from Marion. Repairs between 
Blacksburg and Marion were handled by Trainmaster T. P. Beard and Supervisor 
I. B. Clontz. The line was opened to Rutherfordton, N. C, on Tuesday, July 18th, 
and to Marion on Friday evening, July 21st, which was remarkably quick work in 
view of the necessity for relying upon the materials and forces that could be gath- 
ered on the ground with very little help from outside. This work was not only im- 
portant in itself, but also as affording means for carrying sorely-needed equipment 
and supplies to the Asheville-Salisbury line. 

In the meantime, Superintendent C. P. King- was giving personal attention to 
the Congaree and Wateree River swamps, where the greatest damage was expected. 
On Tuesday morning, July 18th, the line between Columbia, S. C, and Branch- 
ville, S. C, was put out of service by water over the track and structures. The 
water was nearly three feet deep in the station at Kingville, over six feet deep in 
the station at Sumter Junction, and nearly eight feet deep on the Wye at Sumter 
Tunction. In Congaree and Wateree swamps the track for a total distance of four 
miles was washed into the swamp. Repairs were made by building- new track as 
soon as the water had receded, leaving the old track to be recovered later. Trains 
were operated between Columbia and Branchville at 6 p.m., Tuesday, July 25th, 
and between Columbia and Sumter and the Catawba River on Thursday, July 27th. 

The Howe truss bridge across the Catawba River, two miles east of Catawba 
Junction, S. C, was washed away at 9:40 a.m., July 17th. This structure con- 



101 



sisted of three spans with a total length of 524 feet, with a trestle approach at the 
east end 137 feet long and a trestle approach at the west end 200 feet long. The 
base of the rail was fifty-four feet above the normal water level. The bridge was 
carried away by being floated off the piers and abutments, carrying the deck and 
rail, and not even overturning the water barrels used for fire protection. It was 
broken up on islands and rapids four or five miles below the crossing, and little of 
the material was recovered. The trestle approaches and about 400 feet of a long 
forty- foot embankment west of the bridge were also washed out, making the break 
to be filled by a temporary pile frame bridge 1,333 f ee t long. 

As all available forces were being used on the more important bridges across 
the Catawba near Belmont, N. C, and near Fort Mill, S. C„ it was not until August 
7th that work on the temporary bridge was started under the supervision of Resi- 
dent Engineer J. A. Killian, of the Eastern District. It was pushed forward rapidly 
with the help of two pile-drivers, and was completed on September 2d, when train 
No. 113 crossed at 11:36 a.m. Passenger service had been restored, however, on 
August 1, when a ferry was put in operation. 

The temporary structure is being replaced by a steel bridge of nine spans on 
concrete piers and with a total length of 1,259 feet, giving 408 more feet for' the 
passage of future floods than was afforded by the old bridge and trestles. 




Catawba River Crossing Near Catawba Junction, S. C. — View After Water Had Receded. 

102 











Catawba River Crossing Near Catawba Junction, S. C, Showing Temporary Structure Nearing 

Completion. 



4~X 




Catawba River Crossing Near Catawba Junction, S. C. Another View of Temporary Structure. 

103 



SPARTANBURG DIVISION. 

The Spartanburg Division was damaged in the valley of the Broad River by 
washed-out fills and washed and damaged trestles on the Spartanburg-Columbia 
line between Herbert, S. C, and Columbia, S. C, and by minor damages on the 
Greenville-Alston line near Alston, S. C, the most serious of which was a large 
wash-out on the east approach of the Broad River bridge at Alston. 

The highest water in the Broad River was about midnight Sunday, July 16th, 
but, although it was higher than in either 1908 or 1912, the damage to the rail- 
road was less than in the overflows of those years, due to the better construction 
of trestles and to a heavy growth of Johnson grass on fills. Both of the Spartan- 
burg Division bridges across the Broad River were saved by keeping away the drift. 

Superintendent Wm. Maxwell was at Charlotte with Roadmaster J. H. Black- 
well and Bridge Supervisor R. E. Connor on Saturday, July 15th. Learning of 
the flood, they went at once to Spartanburg and organized reconstruction work, 
which was carried on from both ends of the line between Herbert and Columbia 
and at intermediate points where forces were available. The most serious damage 
was about nine miles west of Columbia, where about five hundred feet of fill and 
part of a ballast deck trestle had been washed away. The track between Spartan- 
burg and Herbert was not put out of operation and trains were continuously oper- 
ated between these points. On July 20th, service was extended to Blair, on July 
2 1st to Dawkins, on July 25th to Alston, and on July 26th to Columbia. The Green- 
ville line was operated continuously between Greenville and Newberry, from which 
point trains were detoured over the Columbia, Newberry & Laurens Railway into 
Columbia. On July 26th service was resumed through Alston to Columbia. 



HENDERSONVILLE-LAKE TOXAWAY LINE. 

The story of the Transylvania Division was a repetition, on a smaller scale, of 
the stories of the other lines in western North Carolina, with slides and washed-out 
fills and trestles on practically every mile of the line. The officers of the Transyl- 
vania Division were badly handicapped during the first two weeks after the flood 
by inability to get materials through from the Asheville Division by way of Hen- 
dersonville due to the paramount necessity of concentrating effort on the more 
important lines. As soon as conditions were such that materials and equipment 
could be spared they were sent to the Transylvania Division, but, during the first 
two weeks the materials available were only such as were on hand along the line, 
and logs cut from the woods. 

Superintendent C. C. Hodges got the work started at once with the men and 
materials available. The same general methods were used as on the Asheville-Spar- 
tanburg line. The line from Hendersonville to Brevard was opened for traffic on 
Saturday, July 22d, was extended to Rosman on Jul}' 24th, and on Saturday, 
August 7th, through service was restored the entire distance between Henderson- 
ville and Lake Toxaway. 



104 



COSTER DIVISION. 

The storm record of the summer of 1916 as affecting the Southern Railway 
was completed on August 3d, when a torrential rainfall over an area about fifteen 
miles in diameter put the Knoxville-Middlesboro line of the Coster Division out of 
operation between Williams Springs, Tenn., and Clouds, Tenn. The character of 
the damage was similar to that clone by the July storm on the mountain lines of the 
Company in western North Carolina. Embankments were washed out and cuts 
were filled with mud, rocks, logs and trees brought down by slides from the moun- 
tains. The worst break was at a point between Lone Mountain Tunnel and Taze- 
well, Tenn., where a fill was washed out to a depth of fifty-five feet for a distance 
of 180 feet. 

Restoration work, hampered somewhat by the absence of Coster Division forces 
still working on the Asheville and Knoxville Divisions and by the fact that prac- 
tically all of the trestle timber on the Division had been shipped to the Knoxville 
Division, was started from both ends. The forces working from the south were 
under the personal direction of Superintendent W. M. Deuel, with Trainmaster W. 
L. Hickey, Roadmaster J. P. Hannah and Track Supervisor John Lilly. Those 
working from the north end were under George Deuel, General Yardmaster at 
Tiprell. Bridges and Buildings Supervisor R. E. Price took charge of the work of 
the bridge gangs as soon as he was released from the Asheville Division. Rapid 
progress was made, and the line was restored to operation on August nth. 



TELEGRAPH SERVICE. 

Communication with flooded areas and the direction of repair work were made 
difficult during the days immediately following the storm in the Carolinas by the 
condition of the telegraph and telephone wires. Lines were broken and service was 
cut off or seriously crippled throughout a broad belt extending from the vicinity of 
Charleston, S. C, nearly to Morristown, Tenn. 

The wires between Charlotte, N. C, and Greenville, S. C, were interrupted on 
July 15th, when the line was broken at many points, the most serious break being 
at the Catawba River, near Belmont where the bridge washed away on the even- 
ing of July 1 6th. All these breaks except that at Belmont were repaired by the night 
of July 1 6th. At Belmont, gangs of men with necessary materials were on both 
sides of the river on the morning of the 17th, but it was not until July 18th that 
the first wire was put across. Additional wires were gotten over the next day and 
a cable was put across on July 20th. 

The main line between Charlotte and Columbia was interrupted on July 15th 
by numerous pole breaks scattered between Charlotte and Winnsboro. These were 
restored on the night of July 15th, but service on this line was again interrupted 
on July 17th, when the bridge across the Catawba River between Fort Mill and 
Rock Hill, S. C, was washed away. Men and materials were on the ground on the 
following morning and service was restored on July 20th. 



105 



The line between Rock Hill and Kingville was interrupted on July 20th by the 
bridge over the Catawba River at Catawba Junction washing away and by the 
bridge over the Wateree River, near Kingville becoming submerged on July 19th. 
Service was restored as soon as the water receded sufficiently on July 24th. This 
line was also submerged near Kingville for a distance of two miles July 20th. Serv- 
ice was restored July 21st. 

The line from Columbia to Spartanburg was broken on July 16th by five miles 
of line becoming inundated and three miles of it washed away along the Broad 
River between Shelton and Austin. Service was restored When the water receded 
sufficiently on July 23d. 

The line between Spartanburg and Asheville was only slightly damaged by scat- 
tering breaks and small wash-outs. Service was restored as fast as men could walk 
over the line from- Spartanburg to Asheville on July 18th. 

The line between Asheville and Salisbury was interrupted July 16th at various 
scattered points and 193 poles were washed away, the largest break being at the 
Catawba River, near Eufola, where approximately three miles of pole line went 
down. Temporary service between Asheville and Salisbury was opened on July 
24th, but, in the meantime, a temporary telephone line had been built between Old 
Fort and Ridgecrest, establishing communication between headquarters at Old Fort 
and the working forces over the mountain. 

The line between Asheville and Morristown was most seriously damaged. Six 
hundred poles were washed away or washed down along the French Broad River, 
over five hundred of which were completely lost. Temporary service was opened 
up on this line on July 25th. 

The line between Hendersonville and Lake Toxaway was slightly damaged 
between Rosman and Lake Toxaway, twenty poles being washed away. This line 
was restored for temporary service on July 24th. 

The line between Siloam and North Wilkesboro was interrupted on July 16th 
along the Yadkin River, when forty-two miles of pole line was washed away, mak- 
ing necessary 698 new poles in that section. Temporary service was restored on 
this line on July 25th. 

With communication cut off to points in the flooded territory and the lines 
between the North and South crossing the flooded territory out of service, the prob- 
lem of getting reports of damage and directing repairs was difficult. On 
Sunday morning, July 16th, the .Washington offices were in communication 
with Asheville over a wire set up through the West to Atlanta and a tel- 
ephone circuit from Atlanta to Asheville. During the period Washington was 
cut off from Columbia communication was established through Atlanta by way of 
Jesup and Savannah, Ga. One of the most difficult temporary circuits undertaken 
was to enable the dispatcher at Charlotte to reach the territory south of the wash- 
out at the Catawba River bridge, near Belmont, only ten miles south of Charlotte. 
This was accomplished by using telephone wires from Charlotte by way of Raleigh. 
Richmond, Washington, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Nashville, Atlanta, 
Augusta and Spartanburg. 



106 



EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS. 

Not the least of the tasks thrown upon the Southern Railway organization by 
the flood was the assembling of equipment and materials. This was organized by 
Vice-President and General Manager Coapman, and was done so efficiently that 
equipment, lumber and other supplies were on their way before the waters had 
receded, and there was no substantial delay at any accessible point for lack of any- 
thing that was needed. Such things as could be obtained locally were bought by 
the men in charge of the work in the field, but the greater part of the purchases were 
made from Washington by Purchasing Agent C. R. Craig and Tie and Timber 
Agent W. F. H. Finke, under direction of Vice-President Spencer on information 
furnished by General Superintendent of Transportation G. W. Taylor, and Assist- 
ant to General Manager W. M. Netherland. In addition to this, Mr. Taylor had 
charge of getting the equipment and materials to the points where needed and su- 
pervised the movement of the vast volume of traffic that had to be detoured from 
the broken lines. 

For the efficient distribution of materials and supplies distribution headquar- 
ters were established at Spencer, N. C, under General Storekeeper J. W. Gerber ; at 
Hayne, S. C, under Engineer Maintenance of Way R. D. Tobien, of the Southern 
District; at Asheville, N. C, under General Superintendent G. R. Loyall and Engi- 
neer Maintenance of Way J. B. Akers, and at Knoxville under Superintendent O. B. 
Keister. The difficulties in the way of the prompt assembly and distribution of sup- 
plies were greatly increased by the breaks in the Company's lines, isolating much of 
the territory from the markets north, east and south, from which a large percent- 
age of the materials needed were drawn. The difficulty of supplying the Ashe- 
ville-Salisbury line between Statesville and Ridgecrest was particularly great until 
the line of the Charleston Division from Blacksburg, S. C, to Marion, N. C, had 
been restored to service so that shipments could be sent in that way. 

In the case of metal materials for use south and west of the breaks the diffi- 
culty of transportation was met by the use of ferries constructed at the Catawbas, 
where transfer of small packages of hardware were made ; by purchases from 
concerns in various Southern cities, and from neighboring railroads in small lots, 
and by the movement over foreign lines of materials purchased in northern and west- 
ern markets. 

The first report indicating the extent of damage and furnishing a key to the 
quantity and class of materials that would be required was received the evening of 
July 16th. Instructions were immediately given for the movement of reserve sup- 
plies on the railroad to the points where they were needed. These were sufficient to 
meet first requirements, but large additional purchases were necessary, and on the 
morning of the seventeenth orders were placed by telegraph and telephone 
with concerns in various cities, and by the evening of the seventeenth there 
were moving in the direction of the flooded districts a baggage-car load of 
rope, blocks, nails and bridge bolts by train No. 29 from Washington; from Tren- 
ton, N. J., three pieces %-inch steel wire cable (each one-third of a mile in length), 



107 



for use in the construction of ferries at the three Catawbas; from Norfolk, Va., 
blocks, pulleys and rope ; from St. Louis, Mo., bridge washers in large quantities ; 
from Philadelphia, Pa., boat spikes; from Trenton, N. J., bridge bolts and wash- 
ers; from Richmond, Va., fifteen hundred kegs track spikes and one hundred kegs 
boat spikes. All shipments were made by express or special freight service, and 
were delivered at Salisbury on the eighteenth and nineteenth. In the few days fol- 
lowing large shipments of all kinds of roadway and bridge and building materials 
and tools of every description were made from Richmond, Pittsburgh, Philadel- 
phia, Atlanta, Chattanooga, Louisville and Baltimore, and ball-bearing 25 and 35-ton 
jacks from Boston. Notwithstanding the over-booked condition of the steel mar- 
ket, shipments were made in one and three days from Pittsburgh of two carloads 
consisting of 25,000 bridge bolts; from St. Louis 30,000 malleable bridge washers, 
and from other points track spikes, boat spikes and nails in sufficient quantities 
for immediate requirements. 

The lumber and pile requirements for reconstruction work at the north ends of 
breaks and points north were loaded and shipped from stock on hand in the Northern 
District, or purchased in small lots where it could be found in that territory, and by 
the purchase by Mr. Taylor of 2,800 piles, ranging from forty to ninety feet in length, 
from concerns at Norfolk and Pinners Point, some of which were being held for 
shipment to the Panama Canal. The loading of the piles bought at Norfolk and 
Pinners Point was placed in the hands of General Agent Candler; loading began 
at once and they were handled by special trains, and were the first of that charac- 
ter of material to reach the flooded district in substantial quantities. 

Upon receipt of a report of conditions at Asheville and east of that point, an or- 
der was placed with a Louisville concern for 900 kegs of track spikes, 200 kegs of boat 
spikes, 400 kegs of nails and a general assortment of tools, making, all told, six car- 
loads. The order was placed over long distance telephone the morning of July 21 ; 
loading was completed by 6 p.m., and the shipment moved out of Louisville as a 
special train. It was delivered at Knoxville the next morning and immediately 
moved to Asheville via Louisville & Nashville Railroad to Murphy, N. C, and Mur- 
phy Division to Asheville. 

An order for a 96,000-gallon water tank to replace one destroyed at Marshall, 
N. C, was placed July 20th. Shipment was made from Batavia, Illinois, July 25th, 
and it was delivered by the time the track was restored at that point. Pumps to re- 
place those washed away with pump houses at Bridgewater and Connelly Springs, 
N. C, were shipped from Chicago by express July 21st, and delivered in ample time 
to take care of the situation. For the restoration of the water station at Elkin, 
N. C, a 60,000-gallon tank was shipped from Baltimore; pumps from Dubuque, la., 
by express, and boilers from South Richmond shops. Thirty-nine carloads of cement 
located en route and being loaded at cement plant at Leeds, Ala., for various work- 
on the system were diverted and moved to Hayne, S. C, and distributed from that 
point for use in the flood district. 

In addition to the above, the following are some of the items that were pur- 



108 



chased from various concerns, transferred from other divisions, or manufactured 
in our shops : 

3 Carloads of blasting powder and dynamite, with caps and fuse, for use in 
the Old Fort territory, shipped from Richmond, Va. ; 
300 Gasoline torches for use in night work at various points, shipped from 
Richmond, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia; 

8 Carbide high-powered lights, shipped from Baltimore; 
50 Drag scoops for grading work in Old Fort territory, shipped from Atlanta 
and Hickory, N. C. ; 
300 Wheelbarrows for grading work in the vicinity of Old Fort, shipped from 
Atlanta ; 
8 Carloads of sheet-steel piling for the building of coffer-dams in connection 
with construction of new piers for bridge at Eufola-Catawba, shipped from 
Buffalo, N. Y. ; 
1 6 Steel coal carts for use in reconstruction work and for handling coal at 
Old Fort were manufactured at our Roadway Shops — six of which were 
shipped promptly upon placing of order and the balance a few days later; 
28 Lever-cars and 57 push-cars, manufactured at our Roadway Shops and 

shipped to various points for use in reconstruction work; 
48 Switch stands, together with switches, frogs, and a substantial supply of 
tools were turned out and shipped promptly upon request from our Road- 
way Shops; 
6 Motor inspection cars, by express from Rockford, Illinois, and Three Riv- 
ers, Michigan; 
2,000 Tons new 85-pound rail furnished from Eastern and Southern mills. (Only 
a part of this rail was used in the flooded district.) 
500 Tons of 56 and 60-pound relay rail was loaded and shipped from the Rich- 
mond and Norfolk Divisions, and 18,000 cross-ties from the Richmond 
Division to the Winston-Salem Division for use in the restoration of that 
line. 
28 Girder bridge spans shipped from Roanoke, Va., for use in rebuilding 
bridges. Shipments completed in two weeks. 

The piles bought included 6,346 piles from forty to ninety feet long, moved on 
427 cars and shipped from Slidell, La., Jacksonville, Fla., Norfolk and Pinners 
Point, Va., Baltimore, Md., Norfolk & Western Railway points and various points 
in Virginia, Georgia and South Carolina. 

Purchases of lumber amounted to 6,350,000 feet, shipped on 525 cars from 
points in North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi 
and Baltimore, Md. 

Spencer, South Richmond and Coste.r shops were put to work manufacturing 
drift bolts, and an ample supply, consisting of thousands, was turned out and all 
orders filled promptly. A substantial supply of bridge bolts was also manufactured 
at these shops. 

In answer to our appeal for help, the Pennsylvania Railroad made prompt 
shipment of 2,200 bridge bolts and 50 kegs of boat spikes; the Atlanta Terminal 



109 



Company shipped 32 kegs of track spikes; the Georgia Southern & Florida 100 kegs 
of track spikes ; the Georgia Railroad 100 kegs of track spikes, and the Georgia 
Railway & Power Company 123 kegs of track spikes. Forty-eight carloads, consist- 
ing of 2,759 f eet °f 48> 4 2 an d 30-inch concrete pipe, were loaded by the Construc- 
tion Department and shipped to Asheville for reconstruction work in that vicinity. 
This pipe had previously been shipped for additional main line work south of Green- 
ville, S. C. Seventeen carloads, consisting of 950 feet of 48, 42 and 30-inch con- 
crete pipe were purchased from a Memphis concern and shipped to Asheville. 

Equipment purchased for repair work included one locomotive pile-driver, four 
ditching machines, eight air dump-cars (new), 19 air dump-cars (second-hand), 
and four spreader cars. 

HOW THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE AND OTHER RAILROADS HELPED. 

It would have been impossible to have restored the wrecked lines of the Com- 
pany within the short time that was required for the work without the hearty co- 
operation of the people in the flooded communities. Sawmills and lumber com- 
panies and manufacturers of supplies put off all other orders and worked day and 
night turning out materials for the Company ; large employers of labor turned over 
their organizations, and thousands of men responded as individuals to the call of 
the Company for help. While all of these were paid for their services, and while 
the money disbursed was of substantial help to the flood-stricken communities, the 
spirit of helpful co-operation that was everywhere manifested was none the less ap- 
preciated by the Company. 

Substantial help was also received from other railroad companies which 
responded to the utmost of their ability to requests for assistance. Equipment 
and forces were sent by the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway Com- 
pany, Alabama Great Southern Railroad Company, Mobile & Ohio Railroad Com- 
pany, Norfolk & Western Railway Company, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, 
Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Norfolk Southern Railroad Company and Cen- 
tral of Georgia Railway Company. Typical of the spirit in which other companies 
responded to calls for help was the action of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in tak- 
ing a pile-driver off of work on its own lines and running it special with its full 
working crew from Clarksburg, W. Va., to the Potomac Yards. The service which 
it rendered was invaluable. The New Orleans & Northeastern Railroad Company 
was particularly helpful in the prompt-movement of piles by special train from points 
on its lines. 

KEEPING THE WHEELS MOVING. 

One of the most difficult problems with which the Southern Railway organiza- 
tion was confronted during the flood and while repairs were under way was that 
of keeping traffic moving. The length of line put out of operation by the Gulf 
Coast storm was 140 miles, and the length put out by the storm in the Carolinas 
was 686 miles, making a total of 826 miles of railroad that were out of service for 
longer or shorter periods during the month of July. But this mileage, great as it was. 



110 



did not represent the maximum effect of the storm from an operating standpoint, 
for the cutting of the lines south of Charlotte by the washing away of the bridges 
across the Catawba River, on the Charlotte, Columbia and Charleston Divisions 
practically put all of the lines of the railroad east of the Blue Ridge Mountains out 
of service for through business and made it necessary to detour all of the vast vol- 
ume of through traffic which otherwise would have moved over the Washington- 
Atlanta main line, including such important passenger trains as Nos. 35, 36, 37 and 
38, in addition to a large number of freight trains. 

Connecting railroads, most of which had also suffered more or less from the 
storm, were helpful to the extent of their facilities, and Southern Railway also 
aided them in detouring around breaks in their lines wherever practicable. The 
companies that were helpful in this movement of traffic under difficulties included 
the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway Company, the Alabama 
Great Southern Railroad Company, Norfolk & Western Railway Company, Atlan- 
tic Coast Line Railroad Company, Seaboard Air Line Railway Company, Louis- 
ville & Nashville Railroad Company, Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway 
Company, Georgia Railroad, Columbia, Newberry & Laurens Railway Company and 
the Winston-Salem Southbound Railway Company. 

Without neglecting the primary duty of supplying the working forces 
on the washed-out lines with everything that they needed, every effort was 
made to reduce to a minimum delays and inconvenience to travelers and 
shippers. One of the greatest difficulties was the handling of coal traffic 
originating on the Appalachia Division and normally moving in large volume 
over the Knoxville Division to Asheville. This was done so efficiently as not only 
to maintain adequate supplies of Company coal on all parts of the system, but also 
to keep up the supply for industries — fuel coal for plants in the Carolinas south of 
Charlotte being moved over the Knoxville and Atlanta Divisions and thence north 
over the Charlotte Division. This put an unprecedented strain on the Atlanta 
Division for several weeks, and this large volume of traffic was handled 
smoothly, promptly and without accident, in a way highly to the credit of Super- 
intendent Norris and every man on the division. 

The task of keeping the working forces supplied and moving an ab- 
normally heavy volume of passenger and freight traffic was in charge of 
General Superintendent of Transportation G. W. Taylor, Superintendent of 
Freight Transportation W. M. Cowhig and Superintendent of Passenger Trans- 
portation H. E. Hutchens. These men were ably supported by the superintendents 
and the entire personnel of the Transportation Department, including train crews 
and station agents,, and also by the transportation officers of connecting lines. The 
record made in the handling of this detoured traffic reflects the high efficiency of the 
Southern Railway Transportation Department, for at no point did working forces 
have to wait for materials or supplies, and, notwithstanding the crippled condition 
of the lines during the month of July, the gross revenues for the month showed an 
increase of 3.43 per cent over July, 191 5, and loss and damage liabilities incurred 
during- the month were not abnormal. 



Ill 



THE MEN WHO TOOK THE LEAD 

Without minimizing the great value of the help received from outside 
sources, full credit for the remarkable record made rests with the Southern Rail- 
way organization. Every one, from vice-presidents down to track laborers, per- 
formed his full duty. There were so many instances in which subordinates assumed 
responsibilities and showed initiative and executive ability in matters entirely out- 
side of their regular duties that to refer to them all would involve a detailed account 
of the service of almost every gang and train crew engaged in the work. Taking 
into consideration the efficiency maintained throughout the entire organization, 
shown by the increased revenues in spite of our badly crippled lines, practically every 
man in the employ of the railroad should have his name on the honor roll. The fol- 
lowing includes only those who led the repair forces in the work of reconstruction : 

OPERATING OFFICERS AND STAFF IN GENERAL CHARGE. 

E. H. Coapman Vice-President and General Manager 

G. W. Taylor General Superintendent of Transportation 

W. M. Cowhig Superintendent of Freight Transportation 

H. E. Hutchens Superintendent of Passenger Transportation 

B. Herman Chief Engineer, Maintenance of Way and Structures 

T. H. Gatlin Assistant Chief Engineer, Maintenance of Way and Structures 

A. B. Ilsley Engineer of Bridges 

J. W. Connelly Chief Special Agent 

W. A. Applegate Chief Surgeon 

W. H. Potter Superintendent of Telegraph 

J. A. Jones Chief Clerk to Superintendent of Telegraph 

OFFICERS AND STAFF IN CHARGE OF PURCHASING AND DISTRIBUTING 

SUPPLIES. 

H. B. Spencer Vice-President 

W. M. Netherland Assistant to General Manager 

C. R. Craig Purchasing Agent 

J. W. Gerber General Storekeeper 

W. F. H. Finke Tie and Timber Agent 

A. T. Mason Chief Clerk to Assistant to General Manager 

L. H. Skinner Chief Clerk to Purchasing Agent 

W. W. Livingston Chief Clerk to General Storekeeper 

W. F. Hurd Chief Clerk to Tie and Timber Agent 

W. J. Bolin Supervisor of Roadway Stores 

NORTHERN DISTRICT. 

R. E. Simpson General Superintendent 

G. E. Buckley Engineer Maintenance of Way 

G. L. Sitton Resident Engineer 

WINSTON-SALEM DIVISION. 

J. S. Bergman Superintendent 

A. A. Wells Roadmaster 

C. W. Anderson ....•• Assistant Roadmaster 

J. A. Bolich Trainmaster 

J. L. Clements Agent, North Wilkesboro, N. C. 

J. S. Walker Agent to General Superintendent 

J. B. Martin Supervisor Bridges and Buildings 

j. H. Medearis Supervisor Bridges and Buildings 



112 



EASTERN DISTRICT 

W. N. Foreacre General Superintendent 

1 . S. Lemond Engineer Maintenance of Way 

J. A. Killian Resident Engineer 

R. F. Ezzell Principal Assistant Engineer, Construction Department 

A. Y. Willard Assistant Engineer, Construction Department 

P. R. Shields Assistant Engineer, Construction Department 

E. A. Fish Assistant Engineer, Construction Department 

A. V. Hooks Assistant Engineer 

CHARLOTTE DIVISION. 
H. L. Hungerford Superintendent 

D. A. Ballenger Roadmaster 

E. L. Beasley Roadmaster (Columbus Division) 

T. E. Sharpe Supervisor Bridges and Buildings 

G. W. Welker Supervisor, Bridges and Buildings (Washington Division) 

E. L. Cochran Supervisor Bridges and Buildings (Atlanta Division) 

COLUMBIA DIVISION. 

J. W. Wassum Superintendent 

P. B. Lum Assistant Engineer of Bridges 

J. O. Hunt Engineer, Construction Department 

B. M. Thompson Engineer, Construction Department 

f . R. Fowlkes Roadmaster 

J. L. Mauney B. & B. Supervisor 

CHARLESTON DIVISION. 

C. P. King Superintendent 

T. P. Beard Trainmaster 

N. J. Hammond Roadmaster 

J. M. Cothran Supervisor Bridges and Buildings 

I. B. Clontz Track Supervisor 

J. H. Burney Track Supervisor 

A, M. Patrick Track Supervisor 

SPARTANBURG DIVISION. 

William Maxwell Superintendent 

G. M. Bishop Trainmaster 

1. F. Gaffney Trainmaster (Columbia Division) 

J. M. Parker Chief Dispatcher 

J. H. Blackwell. Roadmaster 

R. E. Conner Supervisor Bridges and Buildings 

M. T. Roberts Track Supervisor 

T. L. Dillard Track Supervisor 

E. H. Smith Track Supervisor (Columbia Division) 

E. E. Smith Track Supervisor (Columbia Division) 

M. Duncan Track Supervisor (Columbia Division) 

MIDDLE DISTRICT. 

G. R. Loy'all General Superintendent 

T. B. Akers Engineer M. of W. 

Alexander Harris Resident Engineer 

C. L. Dooley Chief Clerk to General Superintendent 

ASHEVILLE DIVISION. 
(Exclusive of Line Between Salisbury and Ridgecrest.) 

F. S. Collins Superintendent 

B. M. Smith Roadmaster 

W W. Reister B. & B. Supervisor 

A. A. Queen B. & B. Supervisor 



113 



J. C. Townsend Supervisor 

Z. L. Mobley Supervisor 

A. M. Greenfield Supervisor (Appalachia Division) 

W. A. Stewart Supervisor (Memphis Division) 

J. T. Cox B. & B. Supervisor (Mobile Division) 

LINE BETWEEN SALISBURY AND RIDGECREST. 

T. H. Gatlin Assistant Chief Engineer, M. W. & S., in General Charge 

B. J. Carlin Chief Clerk 

V. O. Hill Stenographer 

E. D. Dickerson Force Chart Clerk 

F. E. Drtjmwright Operator 

In Direct Charge of Temporary Bridge, Catawba River. 

C. G. Arthur Superintendent (Richmond Division) 

N. L. Hali Bridge Supervisor (Danville Division) 

Construction and Track Work. 

A. Harris Principal Assistant 

A. P. New Roadmaster 

J. A. Walker Assistant Roadmaster 

J. D. Leonard Assistant Roadmaster 

E. E. Bumgarner. Assistant Roadmaster 

J. M. Boles Supervisor (Track) 

W. T. McCain Supervisor 

J. E. Howie Supervisor 

J. A. Marsteller Supervisor 

S. G. Hendly Supervisor (Steam Shovel) 

A. D. Barfield Supervisor 

W. T. Dobyns Supervisor 

Thos. Riley Supervisor 

C. R. Kincaid Supervisor (Bridges) 

G. H. Flynt Supervisor (Bridges) 

R. E. Price Supervisor (Bridges) 

A. A. Queen Supervisor (Bridges) 

Contractors. 

H. C. McCrary Contractor (Rock Work) 

Cornell-Young Co Contractor (Steam Shovel Work) 

Boxley, Goodwin & Gray Contractor (Steam Shovel Work) 

Consolidated Engineer Co. (Geo. P. Zouck) Contractor (Bridge Work) 

Transportation Department. 

H. F. Payne Trainmaster 

R. K. McClain Dispatcher 

J. C. Morris Dispatcher 

J. D. Moss Dispatcher 

W. A. Dysart Yardmaster 

Material, Supplies and Forwarding. 

0. B. Lackey In Charge Material and Forwarding Department 

C. P. Kerley Roads, Trails and Hauling 

1. H. Green Timber Field Agent 

J. I. Lee : Timber Field Agent (Estimator) 

F. T. Miller Receiving and Forwarding Agent, Ridgecrest 

R. H. Small Forwarding Agent, Marion 

S. M. Sharpe Advance Agent 

F. A. Sharpe Delivery Agent 

W. H. Sullivan Team Dispatcher 

G. N. Shaw Receiving Agent, Dendron 

]". H. Monroe Storekeeper, Old Fort 



114 



O. H. Beasley Assistant Storekeeper, Old Fort 

A. B. Garrett Assistant Storekeeper, Old Fort 

R. O. Crawley Assistant Storekeeper, Old Fort 

H. B. McCoy Assistant Receiving and Forwarding Agent, Ridgecrest 

E. S. Davis Assistant Receiving and Forwarding Agent, Ridgecrest 

W. S. Gravely Forwarding Agent, Marion 

J. S. Trogden Receiving Agent, Graphiteville 

W. O. Lavendar. Foreman of Teams 

T. C. Bowman Chief Light Tender 

R. B. Leinster Corral Foreman 

W. H. Boylan Accountant 

J. W. Mitchell Accountant 

Records, Time and Accounting. 
D. H. Beatty Chief Timekeeper 

D. H. Reed Traveling Auditor 

E. I. Stacey Traveling Auditor 

E. F. Carden Accountant 

Engineering Department. 

H. H. Powell Field Engineer 

A. B. Pierce Assistant Engineer 

G. P. Asbury Assistant Engineer 

H. D. Scantlin Assistant Engineer 

A. A. Johnson Assistant Engineer 

H. A. Adams Assistant Engineer 

T. H. Denny Assistant Engineer 

W. C. Caye Assistant Engineer 

T. N. Pease Assistant Engineer 

F. T. Torras Assistant Engineer 

E. G. Towers Assistant Engineer 

J. A. Dickinson Assistant Engineer 

C. Norris Assistant Engineer 

H. K. Murphy Paymaster 

Sanitation, Policing and Claims. 

Dr. B. L. Ashworth Physician, Sanitation 

Dr. D. M. McIntosh Physician, Sanitation 

j A. Coley Assistant Special Agent (Policing) 

J. A. Barnes Special Officer ( Policing) 

W. M. Algood Special Officer (Policing) 

J. Ray Special Officer (Policing) 

W. G. Anderson Claim Agent 

L. S. Parsons Claim Agent 

Commissary Department (Sands & Company). 
J. M. Darden In General Charge 

F. H. Snipes District Manager 

L. C. Vaughn District Manager 

KNOXVILLE DIVISION. 
(Line Between Asheville and Morristown.) 

O. B. Keister Superintendent 

T. E. Platt Roadmaster 

J. H. Rigby Assistant Roadmaster 

T. A. Walker Assistant Roadmaster (Birmingham Division) 

Robert Smith Track Supervisor 

W. J. Thornburg Track Supervisor 

T. L. Self Track Supervisor 

R. L. Cobble' '. B. & B. Supervisor 

N. W. Moore T ra c k Supervisor 



115 



COSTER DIVISION. 

W. M. Deuel Superintendent 

J. P. Hannah Roadmaster 

R. E. Price B.&B. Supervisor 

A. E. Eschman B.&B. Supervisor (K. & A. Railroad) 

John Lilly Track Supervisor 

TRANSYLVANIA DIVISION. 

C. C. Hodges Superintendent 

A. H. Caldwell Roadmaster 

C. T. Vance ' ' Supervisor 

SOUTHERN DISTRICT. 

T. H. Stanfiel General Superintendent 

R. D. Tobien . .Engineer Maintenance of Way 

S. J. Buckley ' Resident Engineer 

ATLANTA DIVISION. 

E. E. Norris Superintendent 

C. E. Ervin Roadmaster 

J. A. Johnson B.&B. Supervisor 

E. L. Cochran B.&B. Supervisor 

N. J. Steele Track Supervisor 

W. E. Smith Track Supervisor 

[. N. Biddy Track Supervisor 

J. T. Townsend Track Supervisor 

BIRMINGHAM DIVISION. 

H. H. Vance Superintendent 

A. P. New Roadmaster 

J. A. Walker Assistant Roadmaster 

M. W. Self B.&B. Supervisor 

R. C. Holland Track Supervisor 

A. D. Barfield Track Supervisor 

T. W. Evans Track Supervisor 

J. H. Waters Track Supervisor 

W. T. McCain Track Supervisor 

COLUMBUS DIVISION. 

H. G. Farrar Superintendent 

E. L. Beasley Roadmaster 

MOBILE DIVISION. 

O. K. Cameron Superintendent 

M. E. Madden Trainmaster 

J. C. Austin Trainmaster 

A. P. Bradley .- Roadmaster 

R. J. Jones B.&B. Supervisor 

J. T. Cox B. & B. Supervisor 

A. G. Colquitt ' Track Supervisor 

O. L. Hitchcock Track Supervisor 

H. L. Sanders Track Supervisor 

S. E. Sims Track Supervisor 

T. J. Doran Track Supervisor 

W. P. Webb Agent, Mobile, Ala. 

NORTHERN ALABAMA RAILWAY. 

T. W. Johnson Roadmaster 

L. M. Johnson Track Supervisor 



116 



THE APPRECIATION OF THE PUBLIC 

What the Newspapers Said of the Work of Restoration 

The helpful spirit of the Southern people was shown not only in the work of 
restoration, but also in the patience with which they endured the inevitable delays in 
freight and passenger transportation and the appreciation of the work of the Com- 
pany expressed on all sides. This was manifested particularly in the newspapers 
of the South, as is illustrated in the following editorial comment: 

VOICE OF THE PEOPLE COMPLIMENTS SOUTHERN. 

(Asheville (N. C.) Citizen, July 24, 1916.) 

Editor Citizen : In a time like this, when all have been called on to try to 
help the unfortunate, and have responded nobly, it is perhaps invidious to pick out 
any one person or corporation for especial praise, but from day to day as I hear 
more of the wonderful work that the Southern Railway has done and is doing to 
make lighter the heavy burdens these terrible floods have thrown on dweller's in our 
mountains, I feel that some one should speak the gratitude so many feel to this 
often vituperated, but nevertheless great and splendid corporation. One of our most 
honored women of the surrounding country whose family have lived here a part of 
the season for many years, and who is loved and honored by all who know her, has 
spoken to me in terms of the deepest gratitude for what they have done in the neigh- 
borhood of Fletchers to lighten the sufferings of the people ; women and children 
fed without money and without price, auto service given freely and without stint, 
every effort made to relieve suffering, had deeply impressed her heart as they have 
mine. We all of us have seen the unceasing effort far beyond the demands of their 
own interests to restore normal conditions ; the Herculean efforts being put forth to 
restore communications, and many similar things ; all these should make the people 
of western North Carolina forever grateful. Let us hope that in future we will 
be more kindly in our judgments of this great railroad, with whose success and effi- 
ciency^ our success is so indissolubly bound up, and that their fine action at this time 
will be the beginning of an era of more kindly feeling and better understanding 
between the people and this corporation, from which better understanding only gx>od 
can result for us all. Chas. L. Minor. 



117 



THE SOUTHERN'S EFFORTS. 

(Asheville (N. C.) Citizen, July 25, 1916.) 

The average citizen will readily agree with the sentiments expressed in Dr. 
Minor's letter to The Citizen yesterday wherein he took occasion to compliment the 
Southern Railway on the heroic efforts it has made to serve the traveling public in 
spite of the terrific disasters that have overtaken it in so many divisions of its system. 
From what we can gather from outside newspapers, the losses sustained by the 
Southern Railway in this section are only a fraction of what it has sustained in other 
sections of this State, and in other States. The last authoritative statements from 
railway officials express the opinion that the losses throughout this great system will 
be near two million dollars, truly an enormous sum when we consider the slim earn- 
ings of the Southern during the past ten years. 

In spite of their losses, however, the records of the recent flood will go to show 
that the Southern authorities spent large sums of money to provide automobile trans- 
portation, food, hotel accommodations and, in some cases, clothing for the luckless 
passengers caught on their marooned trains in various sections of the country. The 
Southern's attentions did not cease there, however, for we are told that word was 
passed along to officials to look after passengers until they had reached their homes. 

Some may say that these things were part of a railroad's duties, but while this 
may be so to a certain extent, the manner and spirit wherein these duties are dis- 
charged count for much. Yet, in spite of these tremendous efforts, there were 
some disgruntled passengers who unloaded the customary complaints, and who 
showed no spirit of gratitude whatever. This type can be found in abundance in all 
walks of life, and their actions occasion no surprise. 

With the common run of humanity baiting a railroad and kindred corporations 
has been rare sport, but occasionally we should stop to take account of what these 
corporations have done for their respective communities. The average city in the 
United States can trace the beginning of its industrial prosperity to the approach of 
railway lines, and this is remarkably true of the territory contiguous to the Southern. 

DOING SPLENDID WORK. 

(Asheville (N. C.) Times, August 11, 1916.) 

Really, the intense effort being made on the part of the Southern Railway to 
re-establish all lines running through this section is deserving of commendation, 
and yet it is not forgotten that the railway company must do these things in order to 
re-establish its revenue collection. The "freshet" of July was a serious matter to the 
railway — but without consideration of expens.e, men, machinery and money is being 
used to open the lines. 

The Carolina Mountaineer ( Waynesville), has this paragraph, worth repeti- 
tion: 

"Great praise is due the Southern Railway for its quick work in rebuilding its 
destroyed lines and re-establishing schedules. Tt is a great system, and when some 



118 



of its parts are out of commission the whole organization suffers, and the people 
realize what it means to them. On the other hand, it has so many branches and co- 
operative roads to draw on in time of trouble that it doesn't take long to make repairs 
and restore bridges." 

With one gap yet to be opened — from Ridgecrest to Old Fort, and an army of 
men at work there, it looks to Asheville like the olden-time train service will soon be 
revived. 

(Old Fort (N. C.) Sentinel, August 10, 1916.) 

Quite often the Sentinel has called attention to the Southern Railway's ines- 
timable value to Old Fort, to North Carolina, and the entire South, and has sought 
to foster a good understanding and fair friendship between the company and the 
people it serves so well. Hence, we can very appropriately express grateful appre- 
ciation for the Southern's help to the community while it is at the same time helping 
itself in the work of restoring its ruined property. The assistance rendered Old 
Fort in rehabilitation, and the employment given hundreds of our mountain people 
is indeed a Godsend. We sympathize with the great corporation in its enormous 
losses, and we thankfully welcome its construction forces to our town. The South- 
ern Railway stands out as a great and good friend in this time of trouble. And so 
it has been to the South at all times. 



THE TOWN'S OPPORTUNITY. 

(Old Fort (N. C.) Sentinel, August 17, 1916.) 

While Old Fort was considerably hurt by the flood, the damage may redound to 
its ultimate benefit. As in the case of fires, better structures usually replace those 
destroyed, so in repairing flood damages it behooves the town and all property-own- 
ers directly affected to let the new work show up better than the old. And there 
should be careful looking forward. This is the psychological time for Old Fort to 
take a long step to the front. 

Intelligent and enterprising town-betterment is right now in order, and beauti- 
fication is an essential part of the betterment scheme. The land between the two 
creek beds in the heart of town should be secured by the municipality for park 
purposes (if our local editor's hint to philanthropic folk goes unheeded), for this 
will benefit every inhabitant, including some possibly unwilling taxpayers. 

The Southern Railway is setting us a magnificent example in how to overcome 
backsets — make things better than they were before. And having their repair head- 
quarters here is affording means for doing much that is both necessary and 
desirable. 

Some damages have entailed dead losses, and the only thing to do is resolutely 
to set to work to retrieve the broken fortunes. For all who have suffered we feel 
the deepest sympathy, but it is for their welfare that the town should go forward. 

It takes money to do things, and it takes money to make money. The thing 
needful is for every man to agree to the forward movement and every man to 
hold up his chin. 



119 



One might travel long and far without seeing as many sleeping and dining cars 
as are packed in Old Fort at present; and he might fare far less sumptuously at 
many good hotels than he would at one of the Southern's tables spread in this good 
town for its army of workmen. It is nothing short of amazing the way the Com- 
pany has measured up to the requirements imposed by the flood. Comfortable, clean 
beds ; an abundance of excellent food, well prepared and appetizingly served ; sani- 
tary arrangements of the best standard — such denote the care the Southern is tak- 
ing of the men who are working day and night to mend the flood-made gaps in its 
railway. 

(Old Fort (N. C.) Sentinel, August 31, 1916.) 

Ferventlv do we wish that Uncle Sam would bring Congress and other Gov- 
ernment officials to Old Fort that they might learn from the Southern Railway 
what real efficiency is when it comes to getting work done, and done now. Cutting 
out red tape and getting right on the job saves lots of time and money. 

WELL DONE, TO BE SURE. 

(Salisbury (N. C.) Post, August 18, 1916.) 

The Southern is losing no time in getting its western line opened up. Trains 
will soon be creeping over the restored track and finding their way into Asheville, 
and freight and passengers will be making the trip across the mountain. 

It was just thirty days ago that the floods did such damage to the Southern, 
especially its western branch, and it is certainly to the credit of the road and its 
management that thirty days finds it possible to put trains across the entire route 
between Salisbury and Asheville. 

This means that every man has done his duty, that every man connected with 
the road has been faithful to the task and has worked feverishly to restore the 
track and bring about normal conditions. This splendid result shows that the 
Southern is organized for efficiency, and that the men on whom it depends to do the 
work are reliable to the utmost and capable of heroic performance. This is true 
from the General Manager, who took personal charge, down to the humblest worker 
in the employ of the Company. 

Too much can not be said in praise of the men who went to the front in this 
crisis. The humble laborers who took the instruments of construction in their 
hands and worked in the pit to bring order out of ruin played a noble part, and 
they deserve a word of praise which will not be withheld them. 

THE BUSY COMMUNITY OF OLD FORT. 

(Greensboro Daily News, August 26, 1916.) 

Old Fort, Aug. 24. — Doubtless towns, like men, may be born great, and it is 
certain that some achieve greatness. As for Old Fort, a flood was thrust upon it. 
* * * The town is the pulsing heart of a community of workers variouslv esti- 
mated up to 3,000. 

All day long, and all night, with the exception of shifting periods amounting all 



120 



told to two hours in the 24, these men are toiling to repair the damage done by the 
July flood in the narrow valleys and coves along which the railroad penetrates cross- 
ing the Blue Ridge. The gangs of workmen are strung along from Bridgewater to 
Ridgecrest. Out on the line, night is turned into day while the men ply pick and 
shovel and saw and hammer, steam shovel and derrick, under the light of gasoline 
and carbide lamps. * * * All day and all night trains are passing to and from 
the work — for the modern railroader relies largely upon locomotives and rolling 
stock in the construction of track for locomotives and rolling stock. The steam 
shovel and the pile-driver are the great tools in which the railroader delights; with 
these he builds with the rapidity of magic, and upon a sure foundation. 

The signs of the storm's devastation, along the railway and the magnificent 
central highway, up Mill Creek and the Round Knob basin, are practically obliter- 
ated; there are scars of it all along, and imagination supplies the details — as to what 
magnificent destruction was done in a few hours by the team work of raindrops, 
and what magnificent construction has been accomplished since by Engineer Gat- 
lin, of the Southern, and his army. Mill Creek, it is seen, was a monster, that de- 
voured railway and highway wherever it could reach them. In the lower levels, 
embankments, "fills," crossing the stream and those supporting the roads against 
the sides of the mountain, were cut entirely away. * * * Stout trestles have been 
built, with the pile-driver, in place of all the railroad bridges and their approaching 
fills; the latter to be filled in with earth, and the former to be replaced by permanent 
bridges later on. On the higher levels, the side coves that were crossed by great 
fills 50 feet high or more on the lower side, each was penetrated by a tiny stream. 
* * * The tiny stream became a torrent, swept both embankments away, left a 
great gash in the mountain side, destroying both railroad and highway. * * * The 
Round Knob section of the Southern will be better road than ever, in future. 

(Greensboro (N. C.) Advocate, August 17, 1916.) 

The destruction of railway bridges and road-beds by the great floods has de- 
layed railway traffic and entailed great inconvenience and hardship to the people at 
large. We want to commend the courage and promptness of the Southern Rail- 
way authorities and wrecking crews for the splendid service rendered in the face of 
a great calamity, and the rapid resumption of through traffic by rushing to comple- 
tion the temporary trestles at Belmont, Catawba, Fort Mill and other points. This 
was made possible because efficient bodies of trained men were in reserve and ready 
on the moment to take up the task of rebuilding just as soon as the flood passed. 

A PUBLIC BOW TO THE SOUTHERN. 

(Charlotte (N. C), Observer, August 1, 1916.) 

A "Traveling Man," who failed to sign his name, writes The Observer in praise 
of the excellent record made by the Southern Railway Company in restoring traffic 
over the Catawba bridge at Belmont. The writer thought the Company displayed 
more than ordinary foresight in looking after the interests of the passengers and 
cites the building of the board walks from track to ferry boat on either side the 



121 



stream, the supplying of automobile passenger service and messenger boys to carry 
baggage, the calling in of all the passenger solicitors and placing them at the serv- 
ice of the travelers at the scene of the trouble and of the personal supervision by the 
division passenger agent of all things looking to the comfort of the patrons of the 
line. All that this traveling man has to say is deserved and he could have said much 
more and still not have said too much. The plain fact is that the Southern Railway 
has made a record at the Belmont bridge that has been seldom equaled in the his- 
tory of railroad trouble management in this count ry. The break covered a very 
wide stretch of river and flats, and the level of the bridge was far above the stream, 
making the matter of the transfer one of peculiar difficulties and involving an ex- 
pense that under ordinary circumstances would have been regarded as serious. But 
the transfer arrangement was handled in a way that entailed the minimum of in- 
convenience upon the people, while in the meantime there was prosecuted day and 
night, without cessation, and mostly throug'h storm and rain, the reconstruction of 
the trestle by which through service could be resumed. This work was accom- 
plished Monday, two weeks to the day from the destruction of the original bridge. 
Those familiar with conditions at this bridge had set three weeks as the earliest date 
upon which a trestle could be completed, so that the Southern construction force 
forestalled expectations by just a week. It must be remembered, also, that during 
this time the Southern had not only this one trouble on its hands, but was transfer- 
ring passengers and reconstructing trestles at two other points on the Catawba but 
a few miles apart, and did not work under the advantage it might have had in the 
concentration of its forces at one point. The traveling public has found occasion 
to say much to the credit of the Southern in its methods of meeting the most serious 
situation that it has ever encountered and it is one occasion on which the public 
will be agreed that praise is well placed. In all of its reconstruction work the South- 
ern has depended on its own men and its own crews, on its own brains and its own 
skill. 

COMMENDATION WELL PLACED. 

(Charlotte (N. C), Observer, August 7, 1916.) 

The general public has shared with the papers in handing praise to the South- 
ern Railway Company for the expeditious manner in which it went about the restor- 
ation of traffic without, however, having an adequate idea of the real character of 
the obstacles that were to be overcome and the manner of overcoming them. The 
Southern lost five bridges over the Catawba and traffic has been resumed over 
newly-constructed trestles at all of these points. The most difficult task was across 
the Catawba near Rock Hill, on account of the topograph}' of the land, the length 
of the bridge and the rebuilding of piers. But the trestle there was finished last 
night. Meantime, the Southern has been doing more than the public knows. It was 
found that none of the five steel spans of the bridge at this place was injured, and 
while the workmen were engaged in building the trestle, a set of bridge builders was 
busily at work placing the rescued spans into position, building a permanent bridge 



122 



up through the temporary structure, so that within a very short time the 
temporary trestle is to be torn away and there will be left in its place a permanent 
steel bridge, an exact duplication of the bridge that was destroyed. None of the 
commendation that has been handed out for the efficiency of the Southern's construc- 
tion force has gone amiss. 

THE CONQUEST OF ROUND KNOB. 

(Charlotte (N. C.) Observer, August 18. 1916.) 

An example of the extraordinary in railroad reconstruction is to be witnessed 
at the present time between Old Fort and Ridgecrest on the western division of 
the Southern. Between these two points it is less than five miles air line, but follow- 
ing the windings of the picturesque line around and over the mountains the distance 
is 14 miles. Every mile of this has to be reconstructed. At some points it has 
been found necessary to relocate the road-bed and when service is resumed the 
trains will be carried over a route that is new in some sections. The Southern 
construction management has been calling for as many laborers as could be secured. 
At last accounts there were over 3,000 men at work, and it was expected that by the 
end of the present week this number would be increased to 4,000. The "hands" are 
divided into squads covering every foot of the line from the small tunnel at the foot 
of the mountains to the famed Swannanoa at the crest. It is the expectation of 
the railroad men that this section of the line will be put in condition for the opera- 
tion of trains by September 15th, but to that portion of the public familiar with the 
character of the undertaking no disappointment will be manifested in case this ex- 
pectation fails of fulfillment. The rebuilding of the line to North Wilkesboro was 
child's play compared to the rebuilding of the line up the mountains from Old Fort 
to Ridgecrest. At the time the Western North Carolina road was completed it was 
regarded as the marvel of railroad engineering in the United States. Since then 
there have been many feats in conquering the mountains by railroad engineers — 
notablv in the case of the Clinchfield road — but the Round Knob engineering yet 
stands among the greatest achievements in the railroad history of this country. The 
seemingly impossible feat of running a railroad across the Blue Ridge at this point 
was accomplished by native talent. Major J. W. Wilson was the engineer and 
guiding genius. Colonel A. B. Andrews' efficient part in the undertaking has been 
commemorated in the construction of the Andrews Geyser, an aquatic wonder of 
the mountains, but Major Wilson's memory lives only in the almost forgotten his- 
tory of his accomplishment. In the rehabilitation of this wonderful Round Knob 
line, it might be well for the Southern to establish at some point a token that would 
keep Major Wilson's name before the public. Some conspicuous boulder might be 
converted into a Wilson monument. 

(Charlotte (N. C.) News, August 4. 1916.) 

It must be a revelation to President Harrison of the Southern to know that he 
has in the Carolinas such valuable understudies as General Superintendents Fore- 
acre and Simpson and other officials who, during the time of restoration of the com- 



123 



pany's service from flood wrecks and ruin, have brought to the attention of the 
whole public their eminent fitness for their positions. These men are entitled to all 
the praise the Southern's president is showering on them. 

[Mr. Harrison's comment on this was that it was no revelation at all: that he 
has known Messrs. Foreacre and Simpson and the members of their staffs, and has 
worked with them, too long not to expect of them exactly what they did in this 
emergency. That is why they have their responsible jobs, and the respect of all 
who know them.] 

WONDERFUL BRIDGE-BUILDING. 

(Raleigh (N. C), State Journal, August 4, 1916.) 

The Southern Railway was able on Wednesday to operate trains over the Cataw- 
ba River on the temporary bridge which a big force of workmen were able to con- 
struct in about two weeks after the Belmont bridge was washed away, and ten days 
after the work of rebuilding began. This was a wonderful engineering feat. The 
bridge is quite a long one, and although only a temporary affair, is sufficiently strong 
to last a number of years. It is the intention of the Southern to build a two-track 
bridge here as well as to double-track its lines south of Charlotte. The line from 
Spartanburg to Asheville will be opened in the course of the next day or so, but a 
transfer at Saluda Mountain, requiring several hours, will have to be made. 

(Wilkesboro (N. C), Patriot, August 3, 1916.) 

Our people in this section and along this branch of the Southern Railway are 
very grateful to the officials of the Southern for the promptness with which train 
service was restored. All of the members of the local depot and section forces 
rolled up their sleeves and went to work in earnest to repair the damage wrought 
by the flood, and the result was highly gratifying to them all, and to the public as 
well. A task that Superintendent Simpson said would require from 60 to 65 days 
was thus performed in 12 days. 

(North Wilkesboro (N. C.) Hustler, August 1, 1916.) 

It's said that a grand time took place down on the Southern's line last week 
when the last stick of rubbish and shovel of mud had been removed from the track 
between here and Winston — where the forces met — the track-layingest men on earth. 
General Superintendent R. E. Simpson gave the crowd a speech and dinner, and all 
in fact had a handshaking with the superintendent, who very kindly thanked the 
men for their interest in the railroad and getting it back into operation so unex- 
pectedly quick, and told any man present to write to him if he got in tough luck. 

(Winston-Salem (N. C.) Journal. Tuly 27, 1916.) 

We and every person who knows anything of the odds encountered in repair- 
ing the line from Donnaha to North Wilkesboro also take off our hats to the officials 
of the Southern Railway for the seemingly impossible task of opening up traffic on 
this road in such a short time. The officials realized that an emergency had to be 



124 



met, and they met it with a spirit and determination that commands the highest ad- 
miration and respect. A general superintendent can ride in comfort in his private 
car when conditions are normal, but Mr. Simpson has demonstrated that he can also 
shovel dirt with the most hardened laborer. The local officials have done the same 
thing. Because they have appeared as mere laborers in an emergency has raised 
them much higher in the estimation of the people of this section. 

THE SOUTHERN'S FINE WORK. 

(Winston-Salem (N. C.) Journal. August 5, 1916.) 

The people of North Carolina will not soon forget the Southern Railway Com- 
pany's magnificent work in speedily restoring its lines of traffic which were badly 
damaged in many sections by the recent flood. But longer than this will they 
remember the action of the Southern in agreeing to carry free of charge all ship- 
ments of supplies from the State Relief Committee to the people of the flood-stricken 
districts. Although the Southern has been one of the heaviest losers in the flood, 
the manner in which it has met disaster and its generosity in helping to relieve those 
who are in distress have won for that company a warm place in the hearts of the 
people which will bring rich material returns in the end. 

(Winston-Salem (N. C.) Journal, August 20, 1916.) 

"The note of appreciation sent by President Fairfax Harrison to the Southern 
Railway employees, as a result of their work in repairing flood damages, is none 
amiss, if the employees in all of the flood sections were as faithful and diligent as 
they were in this section. 

LESSONS FROM THE FLOOD. 

(Mount Airy (N. C.) News, July 27, 1916.) 

The country will learn some things from the flood. One is that we are living 
from hand to mouth, and that we are a long distance from being self-supporting. 
We are buying our flour and our meat and a hundred other items from other parts 
of the country. We have not on hand today in any small town more than a week's 
supply of food. 

We have had it impressed upon us with force what it means to have a railroad 
in the country. And the promptness with which the railroad officials came to the 
rescue in the hour of distress should have much to do with creating a better senti- 
ment on the part of the people towards railroads. For a long time there has been 
too much disposition to "do" the railroad in many ways, especially in damage suits. 

When the Yadkin valley was washed away and the country cut off from out- 
side help, General Superintendent R. E. Simpson played the part of a real hero in 
his effort to get relief by prompt action. Mr. Simpson spared neither money nor 
flesh and blood to open up the railroad in the shortest possible time. He got out of 
his special car, put on the clothes of a laboring man and went into the mud along 
with the others to hasten the work. And he succeeded. He did the work in ten 



125 



days that many men would have been a month or more in accomplishing. And his 
efforts to restore railroad facilities should make a warm place in the hearts of the 
people of this section for him in the future. 

And there is something else that should not be forgotten, and that is the prompt 
action that is being taken to assist the people who have lost in the flood. The con- 
tributions are pouring in, and in a short time sufficient funds will be in the hands of 
committees to relieve any suffering that is in the land. And after all it may be that 
the disaster will create in us a larger love for each other, and a more charitable dis- 
position, if it leaves us as a people poorer in this world's goods. 

(Rocky Mount (N. C.) Telegram, August 8, 1916.) 

The difference between a mere money-making organization and a corporation 
with a heart, and a big one at that, has just been brought into evidence in western 
North Carolina. The Southern Railway, traversing that whole section with a net- 
work of roads, was the heaviest loser of all others by the recent flood, but it didn't 
deter them a whit; they didn't even pause for a moment to mourn or to talk 
finances, but officials with working crews were dispatched here, there and every- 
where, and the biggest officials with the biggest crews were sent to repair the dam- 
age and open the lines where suffering might occur first. And so they labored night 
and day, knowing no tire whatever, but a consciousness that the Southern Railway 
must have trains moving quickly, or suffering at points, aided hundreds of others 
out of their own storehouse, and now they are carrying provisions and supplies 
gratis to the flood-stricken areas. Its officials have made the road an even greater 
power for the upbuilding- and advancement of Carolina. 

(Asheboro (N. C.) Bulletin. August 9, 1916.) 

The splendid spirit shown by the Southern Railway in the time of distress is 
certainly commendable. With miles and miles of track washed away and bridges 
swept before the mighty torrents of the recent flood that swept western North Car- 
olina, the Southern people woke up one morning to find a damage of millions of dol- 
lars to its property in every section of the State, and today, less than three weeks 
since, almost normal train schedules are being maintained all over the system, and 
the work of reclaiming and rebuilding the road will always be a monument to the 
energy and efficiency of the officers and employees of the Southern. 

THE SOUTHERN RAILWAY SPLENDIDLY MEETS GRAVE SITUATION. 

(Atlanta (Ga.) Georgian, July 27, 1916.) 

The several thousand men, women and children who were marooned on South- 
ern Railway trains during the recent floods in the Carolinas have learned some- 
thing of a corporation with a soul. 

They were cast by circumstances into the midst of great deprivation, anxiety 
and danger, but their hardships were softened by the most remarkable example of 
corporate thoughtfulness, extending from the general management down to the 
humblest employee, that has ever been shown in the South. Everything that could 



126 



have been done for their relief and comfort was done by the Southern Railway, 
according to the testimony of those mountain-side marooners. 

The new spirit of "Help the Public," fostered so ably by President Fairfax 
Harrison, has already regenerated the Southern Railway. The exemplification of 
it in the Carolina floods has won thousands of lasting friends who remember that 
the motto of all corporations not so many years ago was, "The Public Be Damned." 

THE RECORD OF THE RAILROADS. 

(Columbia (S. C.) State, July 20, 1916.) 

In England, Germany, France, New York, Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, no 
rainfall, however great, would have washed away railroad bridges and tracks as 
the}' have been washed away in the two Carolinas in the last week. Occasionally, at 
rare intervals of time, a bridge in one of these countries or States may collapse, but 
there is never a general breaking up of transportation facilities over wide areas. 

These countries and States are in development older regions. Population in 
them is dense, and traffic tremendous. They have had the money to make their rail- 
roads impregnable to water pressure. They have built stone bridges where our 
companies have built of wood or of wood and steel. 

Our Southern railroad companies have built remarkably well, when what they 
have had to build with is considered. Their present average is perhaps ioo per cent 
better than it would have been after a similar storm 25 years ago. 

One fact stands out conspicuously to the credit of the managers and opera- 
tives of the railroads in the South, and the public ought not to forget it. It is that 
during- the last week, notwithstanding- the scores of wash-outs, the soft and soaked 
road-beds, the numerous collapsed or weakened bridges and trestles and the utterly 
demoralized schedules, not one passenger's life has been lost in railroad oper- 
ation. 

It seems to us that this is a wonderful record. It can be explained only on the 
theory that every trackwalker, every section hand and bridgekeeper, every flagman, 
conductor, fireman, engineman, dispatcher, division superintendent, general super- 
intendent, manager, and president, has been "on the job," and has had before him 
that high sense of responsibility implied in President Fairfax Harrison's remark 
the other day that his Company, in which he included everybody connected with it, 
felt the "disgrace" of the loss of a passenger's life that might have been avoided but 
for a human mistake. That is a fine spirit, and it runs through our railroad work- 
ers nowadays from flagman to president. It is the kind of pride that makes secure 
the passenger trusting life and limb to the railroad company. Twenty-five years 
ago tragic railroad wrecks would have been the inevitable incidents of the fearful 
rainfall of the last week but the history of it is that, so far, passengers on trains have 
been safer than people in their homes in some of the stricken districts. 

We can't have unshakable bridges and rainproof road-beds right away. There 
isn't enough traffic to provide the money for them. For them we must wait. The 
railroad companies have, without exception, improved their roads at a faster rate 
than their business has increased. Such railroads as the Pennsylvania and the New 



12; 



York Central had their substantial construction in a period of far higher freight and 
passenger rates than are permitted in this period. Most of their stone bridges were 
not built even with two and a half cent passenger fares, but when fares were more 
costly. 

In the light of these things, we wish the people would ask themselves whether 
or not the politician is tpieir friend who advocates, at this time, two cent passen- 
ger fares. 

While there is not the faintest likelihood of it, or possibility for that matter, it 
would be better for the people who travel were railroad passenger fares increased 
rather than decreased, if the greater revenues could be spent in strengthening road- 
beds and bridges — in making the lives of the people safer. The events of the last 
week, we suppose, will silence the ignorant agitation for two cent fares in South 
Carolina for a time, anyway — though the argument in their favor is as strong now 
as it ever was. It was always an empty argument — unless the people prefer cheap- 
ness to safety. 

DESERVE PRAISE. 

(Spartanburg (S. C.) Journal, July 19, 1916.) 

General Manager Paul V. Moore, of the Chamber of Commerce, has written 
President Fairfax Harrison of the Southern Railway a letter telling him how cour- 
teous the road's employees here had been in answering the thousand and one questions 
that each marooned passenger has asked them. They have displayed most wonder- 
ful patience. They deserve praise because many men would have lost their patience 
under such a fire of questions. 

A CORPORATION'S SOUL. 

(The Huntsville (Ala.) Mercury, August 11, 1916.) 

Corporations are said not to have souls, but sometimes when the occasion arises 
for it, the most of them exhibit a striking verisimilitude of soulfulness. They are 
generally governed by hard and fast rules that seem to be necessary to the proper 
regulation of their business and the restraint of those charged with their manage- 
ment and administration. But when the call comes for the relief of suffering human- 
ity of the meritorious sort, most of them respond generously and liberally. For in- 
stance, we are told in a dispatch from Washington that President Fairfax Harri- 
son, of the Southern Railroad, notwithstanding the heavy losses his Company suf- 
fered as a result of the recent floods in North Carolina, has issued an order author- 
izing free transportation of shipments from the State Relief Committee comprising 
supplies consigned for gratuitous distribution among the sufferers from the high 
waters. The response of the people has been generous, and the action of the rail- 
road makes immediately available and without any expense of administration or of 
distribution the full amount of the public's contributions for the purposes of relief. 
It is encouraging to be thus reminded that the touch of affliction and of misfortune 
still makes the "whole world akin," even the corporations in such circumstances be- 
coming brothers to the rest of us. — Chattanooga Times. 



128 



THE SOUTHERN'S RECOVERY. 

(Birmingham (Ala.) News, August 6, 1916.) 

The announcement made by the Southern Railway officials yesterday that train 
service will be restored in part tomorrow on the Asheville-Knoxville and Asheville- 
Tryon Divisions will be read with intense gratification by the general public. Inci- 
dentally, we may remark that in view of the enormous damage suffered by the 
Southern in the recent storms, even a partial restoration of railway service in the 
affected regions gives evidence of a marvelous recovery which will stand as a monu- 
ment to the untiring energy and determination of railroad officials and workers who 
have lost all thought of self, and who have looked only to the convenience and 
accommodation of the traveling public. So we can not suppress the thought that out 
of catastrophe may yet come much good, in that the public in the future will have a 
closer and more kindly feeling for the Southern Railway, and certainly a higher 
spirit of appreciation. — Asheville Citizen. 



129 



Southern Railway Company. 



OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT. 



Washington, D. C, August n, 1916. 



EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 76. 



To the Officers and Employees of Southern Railway Company: 

In the emergency created by the recent floods our organization has had a new 
test and has given a new proof of its efficiency. Men of all departments and of all 
branches of the service have demonstrated again the reason why the management 
has confidence and pride in them. In saving life and property while the danger was 
imminent, in promoting the comfort of marooned passengers, in restoring structures 
and reconstructing track so as to make possible, in the shortest possible period of 
time, a resumption of service vitally necessary to many isolated communities, and 
not forgetting the less conspicuous but equally necessary work of assembling and 
forwarding material, the Southern organization has deserved and won much praise 
from the public. Those of us who know in detail what the character of the work 
has been and the difficulties which have been surmounted by sheer courage and 
trained skill can best appreciate how well that praise has been merited. 

Where all have done their duty it would be invidious to single out for special 
mention even those whose service has been most notable because their opportunity 
was greatest. I must, then, content myself with thanking you as an organization, 
but I intend the thanks for each of you who is conscious of deserving them. 

In saying this, I have a deep sense of pride in my own membership in that organ- 
ization, for I do honor to myself in honoring you. 

The Company has suffered a hard blow in property loss, but, as none of us is to 
blame, there is no use in repining. Let us rather gird up our loins for a new effort 
to make up the losses in the coming year : to repeat the kind of service which has 
made so great a success of our work during the past two years. Finally, while 
congratulating ourselves on what has been accomplished, let us not forget that we 
all owe and cheerfully give a tribute of our highest respect to those brave men who 
lost their lives in the line of duty at the Belmont bridge. 

FAIRFAX HARRISON. 



130 



TO THE MEMORY 

of the brave men who gave their lives in the 

performance of duty to southern 

Railway Company in the 

floods of July, 1916 



H. P. GRIFFIN 
J. N. GORDON 
C. S. BARBEE 
C. W. KLUTZ 
J. F. HODGES 
*DANIEL HEATH 
'ANDREW SCOTT 
TOM ASH WOOD 
*TOM DAVY 
*SLOAN ADAMS 
*WILL FERGUSON 



*Colored 



'Your surviving comrades who shared 
the risk salute you" 



131 



Press of Byron S. Adams 

Washington, D. C. 

1917 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



014 366 088 6 * 



